José Mourinho has concluded that Real Madrid suffer from clear weaknesses when facing opponents who rely on strong duels and a high physical tempo. Fede Valverde, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Arda Güler must all develop their ability to deal with this type of match, the Real Madrid boss believes, and stop backing down against their opponents in the big encounters.
According to a report from Spanish website "Defensa Central", Mourinho wants his players to show more strength and intelligence in duels, and to improve how they communicate with the referee. He came away with those observations from the derby, a game marred by refereeing controversy and a performance that fell well short of expectations.
The Portuguese coach admitted in his press conference that the refereeing controversy could not be ignored. Yet he insisted it does not paper over the problems in Real Madrid's own display.
By his reckoning, several players struggled badly in a match that demanded physical robustness and mental focus from first minute to last.
Strength, in Mourinho's view, is not just about the physical side. It also comes down to how players manage situations on the pitch.
He criticised Valverde for not staying down after being kicked by Kang-in Lee, arguing that an Atlético Madrid player would have handled a similar moment differently, perhaps exaggerating the pain to force a stricter decision from the referee.
The Portuguese coach tied that incident to another flashpoint from the game, when Cuti Romero escaped a red card after stepping on Jude Bellingham's knee.
Romero stayed down screaming in pain, a scene Mourinho read as a ploy to dodge a harsher punishment than the card he received, especially once it looked like the defender was in real trouble with the referee.
Güler, Mbappé and Vinícius under scrutiny
Arda Güler needs to improve his presence in one-on-one duels, Mourinho believes, after the youngster looked weak against opponents' challenges.
Opposition players targeted him from the opening minutes, aware of his enormous talent but also of his shortcomings once a match turns physical and combative.
Mbappé and Vinícius also drew the coach's displeasure, particularly when the pair pull out of the press or simply watch the play unfold without contributing anything defensively.
Mourinho looked furious with Vinícius. He shouted in his face demanding he track back and help defensively, before hauling him off in the 53rd minute.
These are not one-off observations, either. Mourinho expects the same kind of contest against sides like Valencia, Getafe and Osasuna, having watched previous matches prove that several Real Madrid players struggle when the opponent imposes a high physical tempo and turns the game into a battle over duels and spaces.
That is why he wants these problems fixed as quickly as possible, before they resurface against strong opponents through the season.