José Mourinho: between the painful reality and a collision with the Galácticos

Real Madrid's first problem is not a lack of talent or an absence of individual solutions, but rather how those capabilities are deployed within a cohesive collective system. Having two wingers capable of settling matches with their skill and pace is not enough if the team does not commit to pressing, covering and moving as a single unit, particularly against opponents who are adept at retaining the ball and playing out of pressure.

Vinicius Junior represents one of the most prominent issues that needs addressing, not only because of his repeated grumbling and protests that may scatter his focus, but also because of what his position demands in terms of commitment to the defensive system.

High pressing does not begin with the midfielders and defenders. It requires the forwards and wingers to move at the same moment. Otherwise, the surging runs of some players turn into effort without effectiveness, and the opponent can easily bypass the first line and reach the spaces behind it.

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As for Mbappe, the dilemma is not about his goalscoring abilities, but about the extent of his involvement in the collective work when Real Madrid do not have the ball. In some scenarios, the opponent can easily bypass him in the pressing process, especially when the rest of the players do not move with the required coordination.

Pairing him with Vinicius also obliges Mourinho to find a balance between attacking freedom and defensive responsibilities, so that the team's individual superiority does not turn into a collective weakness.

That is precisely where the difficulty of the task appears. Can Mourinho impose discipline on stars who are accustomed to enjoying a great deal of freedom, or will he be forced to make concessions in order to preserve dressing-room stability?

The Portuguese coach is known for his ability to take sharp decisions when he feels the team's interests demand it. But applying this philosophy at Real Madrid is different from any other experience, because of the scale of the stardom and the media and fan pressures surrounding every decision.

Jude Bellingham's case is no less complicated. The England international possesses exceptional ability to break into space and get into the penalty area, but he needs a system that creates those spaces for him and lets him roam.

Ask him to overlap roles in pressing, building play and creating chances, with no clear definition of his primary function, and the team loses part of his finest qualities. The player himself becomes less influential in the very areas he excels at exploiting.

Bellingham is not necessarily the holding player who can single-handedly manage the build-up from the back under pressure, and his ability to arrive late into the penalty area requires players around him who take on the passing, the progression and the control of tempo. Put him in a system that does not provide those things and he covers enormous ground without ever turning it into attacking impact worthy of his potential.

In midfield, other question marks emerge over the partnerships pairing Tchouaméni with Valverde, or Tchouaméni with Camavinga. Those combinations may give the team physical strength and an ability to win the ball back, but they do not necessarily strike the required balance between building play and providing cover.

Struggle to pass under pressure, or fail to provide angles to receive the ball, and playing out becomes difficult. Spaces then appear in behind for the opponent to exploit.

The dilemma is that Valverde, despite his ability to run and cover large areas, needs a clear role that highlights his strengths, rather than being loaded with varying responsibilities without any stability.

At full-back or out wide, his duties can become clearer according to the nature of the match. Relying on him in midfield requires a partner capable of organising the build-up and securing the spaces.

So the problem does not lie in the abilities of these players so much as in how they are assembled within a system that serves the team as a whole.

Here lies the paradox Mourinho stumbled upon: some of the players who generate the least noise in the media may be better equipped to give Real Madrid what the team needs collectively.

Take Arda Guler. He can link the lines, deliver the pass that breaks the press and switch the direction of play at the right moment, qualities the side badly needs, especially against an opponent who closes down the spaces and forces the midfielders into quick decisions.

Carlos Espi has proved in many matches that he is capable of producing something superb. He rescued the side in 3 matches with 3 decisive goals, the most recent against Roma.

Endrick offered fresh evidence against Roma of his ability to change the shape of the attack, scoring the equaliser in that thrilling comeback by making the most of his movement inside the penalty area and his presence at just the right moment.

Scattered minutes won't do it for the Brazilian striker. He needs a genuine opportunity within a clear plan, especially if his presence allows Mbappe to operate in the areas where he performs at his best, while giving the team a different attacking option.

That is where the value of the substitutes who engineered the comeback against Roma becomes clear. The goals from Carlos Espi, Endrick and Antonio Rudiger arrived within a few minutes of one another, while Arda Guler played a pivotal role by creating chances from set pieces.

The message is simple. Real Madrid do not need more star quality, they need a better distribution of roles and proper use of the players who give the team balance and clarity, even when they are not the ones with the most glamorous names.

Mourinho will be required to make decisions that concern not only the system but the identity of the line-up itself. He may need to reduce Vinicius's role or leave him on the bench if he does not commit to what the structure demands, while testing attacking options involving Jan Diomande, Mbappe and Endrick, according to what he deems suitable for the nature of each match.

Managing the minutes of some stars may also become unavoidable, rather than automatically handing them full participation, if they do not provide the required contribution to the collective work.

These decisions must not turn into individual punishment or a knee-jerk reaction to a single match. They need to become a clear technical policy that links participation to readiness, commitment and the ability to carry out roles. Benching a player of Vinicius's stature does not on its own guarantee a solution, just as continuing to field him does not necessarily mean the coach has failed.

The real criterion is whether the team will become more balanced and effective with him in the side or without him. Mourinho also needs to reorganise the midfield, perhaps relying more heavily on Guler and Bernardo in the roles that help with playing out from the back and linking the lines, while deploying Valverde in a position that ensures his abilities are put to use, particularly on the right side after his striking performance against Roma and, before that, under Xabi Alonso, who wanted to use him in that position.

Collective pressing must become a clear priority too, because the continued gaps between the lines will leave the team open to being broken through, no matter how good the defenders are or how well the forwards shine.

The biggest question remains: will Mourinho show his well-known strictness and impose his rules on everyone without exception, or will he avoid clashing with the stars in order to preserve his stability inside the club?

Real Madrid's comeback against Roma gives him an important morale boost, but it does not erase the problems that preceded those decisive minutes. Victory may hide the flaws temporarily. Building a team capable of competing consistently requires brave decisions and a clear balance between talent and discipline.