Guys, yesterday's Espanyol - Real Madrid second leg was full of interesting developments, fam 👀 Mourinho's return to La Liga faced its first test with both a depleted squad—missing seven players—and a message of trust in the youngsters. We saw Vinicius was also 'prey' in this game, but most importantly, we're in a phase where Mourinho's 'never-loses' image is being questioned.
How do you see this from the Real Madrid community? What do you think Mourinho can achieve with this squad? Or is 'that old Mourinho' already done?
Mourinho's Espanyol adventure! What's happening as Real Madrid legend returns to La Liga?
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Oh man, that Espanyol game yesterday was insane, bro! I knew they were missing seven players, but seeing Mourinho throw in 3-4 youth team guys was next-level. We always say "that guy plays in another league," but I think he really felt La Liga’s toughness firsthand. Vinicius scoring was great, of course, but the real takeaway was his trust in the youngsters. It’s also a hint about Real Madrid’s squad depth this season—they’re forced to develop and rely on young players.
When discussing what Mourinho can do with this squad, we first need to acknowledge how "on the edge" it is. Sure, Real has its star players we all know, but the real issue is form. The replacements for Kroos and Benzema? Youngsters. Mourinho’s always worked with experienced players, so trusting the kids is a huge test for him. His "never-loses" image might be taking a hit, but the real question is: If he can beat Espanyol like this with this squad, just how solid is his system?
So, is "old Mourinho" gone? Honestly, bro, I’m not so sure. Mourinho’s always been adaptable—he could set up any system anywhere. But using so many young players at a club like Real Madrid? That depends on how fast the system can adapt. It’s clear he’s not playing the same way, but it’s too early to say he’s "done." Over the next few months, if he can develop these young players and build a system around them, then "that guy" will be back. For now, though, it’s not exactly low-risk, especially with so many missing names from the first team on paper.
They tried to knock the guy down again while he was just trying to catch his breath in his sweatpants, man. Mourinho’s performance at El Molinón that fateful match—with nearly a third of his squad missing—was actually one of the bitterest ironies in his whole story, bro. It wasn’t just the result that made people question the "untouchable manager" image; it was how he kept exposing how fragile that perception really was. And Vini Jr. being blanked that night? Pure tragicomedy, honestly—these kids seem stuck in the same old routine.
I think before we talk about what Mourinho can do with this squad, we gotta be real about its actual ambitions. Right now, this team would struggle even in a tough Europa League group, though they can’t ignore his tactical brilliance either. But we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see how innovative he can be now. Is the "old Mourinho" gone for good? Maybe. But if he’s not, the biggest proof is that his coaching fire is still burning. No matter the result against Espanyol, I don’t think his story’s over yet.