He also allegedly wants his own medical team. Barely a lapdog if you compare him to the recent managers.
But also, weren't the same outlets saying that Junior/the team play better without Mbappe? He was doing them a favor, then. Why didn't the others show up? Mbappe force played through an injury vs Talavera in CDR and in the last few games of last season and they told us he was "padding stats"..
If you know how Mourinho works, you don't see this as a positive. Remember: https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...united-jose-mourinho-anderlecht-europa-league "Be brave, play through pain and injury" is what he wants. Long term health is irrelevant to a coach with a short shelf life.
I don't see how the present "conservative approach" helped your current backline for example. So meh.
Mourinho actually told the doctors at Manchester United that he doesn't need to look at MRIs because he can "smell it, feel it" if a player is ready to go. He's every bit the 63 year old man he is.
A bit of a separate topic but found the below quite interesting. I'm sure the Premier League would have someone similar but La Liga needs something like for their entire productions. Both visuals and audio seem so flat compared to the Premier League. https://youtube.com/shorts/e4PlhqA3kdk?si=rOCOYeliXv8YSIBy
US sports are on another level in terms of overall broadcast quality no doubt. The work the NFL is doing for the NFL games in Europe, regular season games, is incredible, puts the champions league final to shame. The amount of clear out they demand, space, media truck capacity is out of this world. Remember when VAR trucks kept going out this season because of wiring issues/electricity problems? You see these things at the top level of the sport all around Europe. I can only imagine what goes into a Superbowl for example.
Man I hate these backroom politics. This ain't anything new though, has been happening for years, even with the likes of Raul, Iker, etc
It's new though These players got the coach sacked because they didn't like being managed, and now the same spoiled egos are forming factions and campaigning to get each other kicked out..
🚨 JUST IN: Florentino Perez and his advisors believe that the squad is VERY good, and that many players that got WORSE under Xabi Alonso & Alvaro Arbeloa, could return to a TOP level if they receive the right support from a new coach. @jfelixdiaz pic.twitter.com/RLdQ1Rh0He— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) May 11, 2026
Anything FIFA or UEFA put together as an event is insultingly low effort and cringe to the max. The Balon d'Or ceremony, the Champions League draws, or who can forget the FIFA 2026 draw in the states when Infantino handed Trump the FIFA Peace Prize I know 19 year olds that could make these events to be 10 times better, and they're not even in the event planning business. That's how low the bar is.
That's part of the article that runs on AS today called "changes are coming", which makes it a must to read the articles and not just go by headlines, because if you outline the players the club considered "key players for the club" you're basically almost at the first 11 already with one two spots to play for.
I don't think the players are bad. I think their roles need to be redefined. Nobody should be feeling untouchable as a starter anymore and players that expected to be starters should accept coming off the bench. That includes the obvious Camavinga, Arda and Paz if he comes back but also Jude, Vini and Mbappe. If someone doesn't accept it then there should be departures based on that. If Mbappe, Jude or Vini are under the impression that they would be starting every game and if that doesn't happen then they rebel, uncomfortable discussions need to happen. The last two seasons should come as a reality check for everyone.
That's what I meant saying they should accept that they aren't automatic starters unless they show that day in and say out. Don't know how this can happen for some of them though so difficult decisions would need to be taken, although I very much doupt that unfortunately.
🚨 STAT: Barcelona averaged 120.8 more sprints per game than Real Madrid in La Liga, with a total difference of 4,228. Barcelona ranked first for all teams in La Liga, while Real Madrid were ranked LAST. @DriblabES Unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/Fj5rnHZk1F— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) May 11, 2026
These are the changes needed the most. 🚨 CONFIRMED: José Mourinho has DEMANDED two things from Real Madrid:- To have a say in SIGNINGS, not names, but POSITIONS to strengthen- He doesn’t want anyone to interfere with his work with the players, every person at the club should focus on their own field@diarioas pic.twitter.com/ryz7HoUyhJ— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) May 11, 2026
This is the guy that loaded every club with pack on Jorge Mendes players, and any kind of baggage he found. It's crazy how propaganda works where they'll turn him from somebody that should be begging for this opportunity into some sort of savior. Really makes me feel like the sport is full of idiots.
Smells like s BS rumor, what does having "a say" even mean, particularly if it's just positions? That the president "guarantees" they will sign a player who nominally plays the positions. no matter how low quality the signing is (e.g. Faubert for rightback)? Or that he is not strictly forbidden from telling Perez what positions he believes need strengthening, as if he was not allowed to even say anything before? Pretty meaningless.
The guy begged for Alexis Sanchez, a historic Manchester United bust. He wrote players texts begging them to ******** off so he can get Alexis. Madrid media thinks we're total idiots to believe that nonsense. This is like the sort of hangover remedy that says "just keep drinking the next morning".