Rabat – Real Madrid are preparing to return to club action against Villarreal on Saturday, but attention in Spain has once again shifted toward a dressing room that continues to raise questions despite another change on the bench.
Cadena SER’s El Larguero discussed the internal situation this week and argued that the tensions surrounding the squad predate Jose Mourinho’s arrival.
Journalist Anton Meana described the group as a “very difficult dressing room” and pointed to difficulties under both Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa last season. He also referred to previous conflicts between players as evidence that the issue cannot be reduced to the current coach.
Mourinho was brought back to Madrid with a reputation for demanding discipline and strong control over his teams, but Cadena SER analyst Julio Pulido questioned whether that image has translated into meaningful change.
Pulido said the club had expected an “iron sergeant” and instead found a “tin sergeant,” while he argued that the squad had retained many of the same habits that caused problems before Mourinho’s appointment.
The criticism has resurfaced at an uncomfortable moment for Madrid.
Their final league game before the international break ended in a 2-1 derby defeat to Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano. The loss left further ground to recover in La Liga, with Cadena SER noting that Barcelona currently hold a five-point advantage.
October also offers little room for the situation to settle quietly. Madrid host Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday before a run that includes Roma in the Champions League, Barcelona in La Liga and Sevilla later in the month.
The discussion on El Larguero also turned to Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe. Analyst Miguel Angel Chazarri argued that there is growing distance between parts of the fanbase and Madrid’s two biggest attacking stars, although he acknowledged that strong performances could quickly change the atmosphere around them.
The wider question facing Madrid is therefore not simply whether Mourinho can steady the team after the Atletico defeat.
The squad has already passed through multiple coaching changes without fully escaping the same discussion over authority, relationships and the internal culture of the group.
Saturday’s meeting with Villarreal will return the focus to football. Whether strong results can also quiet the questions surrounding the dressing room remains another matter.
