José Mourinho has stamped his authority on Real Madrid's last two matches. Whether tweaking the starting line-up or throwing on decisive substitutes, the head coach steered Los Blancos to two wins and eight goals, timing his touch perfectly before the eagerly awaited La Liga clash with Barcelona.
Catalan newspaper "Marca" reported that the Portuguese's influence shone through in the Champions League win over Roma, then the 4-1 victory over Sevilla. His calls sharpened the team's performance and handed them fresh solutions in midfield and attack.
Against Sevilla, Mourinho's boldest move was deploying Fede Valverde at right-back. That ended the Uruguayan's midfield partnership with Aurélien Tchouaméni and, at a stroke, cured the team's need for stability down the right, where earlier options had fallen short.
Arda Güler got the nod in the deep-lying midfield role too, a surprise for a player Mourinho had grown used to pushing into attacking positions closer to the box.
Behind the switch lay a hunger for more creativity in the middle of the park. It showed in the display, and the Turkish youngster capped it by scoring the opener against Sevilla.
Down the left, Vinícius Júnior's suspension opened the door for Yan Diomande. He grabbed it, dazzling with his dribbling and his knack for carving out danger.
Diomande scored and provided an assist for the second match running, having set up a goal against Roma just days earlier.
The interventions didn't stop with the team sheet. Mourinho reshaped the Roma clash from the touchline after Real Madrid fell two goals behind, altering the team's shape and loading it with attacking options, Endrick and Asencio among them. The gamble sparked a comeback and a win inside the final ten minutes.
Those changes saw Güler return to midfield and Valverde drop to full-back, while Bernardo replaced Tchouaméni. The reshuffle gave Real Madrid more attacking punch and turned the game on its head.
This is exactly what Real Madrid want from Mourinho: reading matches and stepping in at the right moment to change their course. Now comes a stern test against Barcelona, with a win offering the chance to cut the gap to the La Liga leaders.