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We're roughly one-fifth of the way through the 2026–27 La Liga season as the first international break arrives. It has been a somewhat inconsistent beginning for José Mourinho as he returns to the Real Madrid dugout.
The coach has collected five victories from seven matches and has benefited from the outstanding form of Kylian Mbappé, along with several other encouraging signs.
Yet Real Madrid aren't measured by their capacity to dismantle Málaga at home, and sobering losses in the more demanding away fixtures at Real Betis and Atlético Madrid have laid bare familiar weaknesses.
A rocky opening might have been forgiven had Barcelona not steamrolled every opponent in their path, with Hansi Flick's relentless side surging ahead with a six-point advantage that already appears nearly impossible to claw back.
With the honeymoon phase behind Mourinho and his rebuilt Real Madrid squad, here are five takeaways from the early portion of the season—along with one burning question.
Arda Güler Is a Superstar
If there was any doubt, Arda Güler is an exceptional talent. The 21-year-old claimed Goal of the Season honors in La Liga and dazzled in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich during a breakthrough campaign.
Nevertheless, his role under the new manager heading into 2026–27 was uncertain, with Jude Bellingham firmly established as the preferred No. 10 and record acquisition Yan Diomande adding further competition on the right flank.
In the opening weeks of the campaign, Güler has demonstrated that he is among the most influential players in terms of creative contribution.
The Turkish international has registered 28 key passes this season, the highest tally in La Liga—one more than Lamine Yamal, despite the Barcelona star having logged approximately 230 additional minutes on the pitch.
For a side that has at times lacked a cutting edge, accommodating Güler in the starting lineup—whether on the right or in a central role—seems absolutely vital.
Espí Is a Game-Changer
Carlos Espí seemed destined for one of football's less glamorous assignments following his €25 million ($29 million) transfer from Levante: serving as Mbappé's understudy.
While a starting berth may remain out of reach, the 21-year-old is rapidly establishing himself as the ideal impact substitute, already netting twice in just 25 minutes of action and directly contributing to four points. The tally could have been greater had his stunning late strike against Real Betis not been ruled out for offside.
The young forward's physicality, threat in the air, and predatory instincts bring a completely different dimension to Madrid's attacking options, and his teammates have already nicknamed him "Joselu Junior"—a nod to the former striker's knack for delivering crucial goals from the bench.
Diomande Needs Time
Not everyone has hit the ground running this season. Club-record signing Yan Diomande is still awaiting his defining moment in a Madrid shirt.
The 19-year-old, who became the club's most expensive purchase at €125 million ($143 million) after joining from RB Leipzig, is clearly a future star rather than a finished product and is being carefully integrated into life at the world's most prestigious club.
Mourinho has limited Diomande to just two starts so far, much to the irritation of some less patient supporters eager to see their prized new arrival in full flow.
An assist against Elche offered a glimpse of the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season's capabilities, but an unbroken run in the starting eleven seems unlikely, given Mourinho's characteristically cautious approach with young talents.
In the manager's defence, it has been barely eighteen months since Diomande made his professional debut in a 3–2 loss for Leganés against Real Madrid.
The Mbappé-Vinícius Conundrum Is Still a Thing
In the wake of the derby defeat to Atlético Madrid, L'Equipe published a striking graphic illustrating the average positions of all Real Madrid players. Mbappé and Vinícius Jr were virtually occupying the same space.
An ongoing issue since the French star's arrival in the summer of 2024, Mourinho has yet to unlock the best from both of his most dangerous attacking weapons simultaneously.
Mbappé is flourishing as the focal point of the 4-2-3-1 system, while Vinícius is a pale imitation of his peak form—a particularly unfortunate situation given the enormous contract extension he recently signed.
There remains time to resolve the tension, but the early indications suggest another frustrating season of intermittent chemistry and frequent clashes of style.
Mourinho Hasn't Changed
When Mourinho arrived at Madrid roughly 100 days ago for his second stint in charge of the biggest job in club football, he portrayed himself as a more mature, measured, and gentler version of his former self.
In his early press conferences, when confronted with his provocative old quotes from his combative prime, he would respond with a bashful grin and say, "Did I really say that? Me?" This was supposed to be Mourinho 2.0.
It didn't take long to unravel. Before the match against Elche, following the team's first loss of the season, the 63-year-old closed a press conference with "No questions about the penalties? Strange, isn't it?"—hinting at the heel turn that was coming.
After the defeat to Atleti, he arrived with printed documents as he launched into a tirade against the officials, even questioning why 41-year-old Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias had been appointed as referee.
He also branded decisions that went in favour of both Barcelona and Atleti this season as "laughable" and leaned further into conspiracy rhetoric, claiming Madrid could still challenge for the title "If 'they' leave us in peace."
"There's a long way left," Mourinho added. There certainly is.
What Is Madrid's Best Midfield?
One area Madrid were widely expected to strengthen during the summer window was the absence of a genuine deep-lying midfield organiser. They chose not to act.
After being turned down by Rodri, Florentino Pérez and the club's leadership appeared to decide against pursuing alternatives and opted to work with the existing squad.
To date, Mourinho has rotated between various combinations in his midfield double pivot behind Bellingham, with Aurélien Tchouaméni—the most naturally defensive of the options—still building his way back to full fitness.
Early speculation that Mourinho might repurpose Güler as a deep-lying playmaker appears to have been off the mark, and it remains unclear which pairing from Tchouaméni, Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Bernardo Silva, and Thiago Pitarch provides the ideal blend of defensive solidity and creative spark—a dilemma made worse by Valverde's injury in the Madrid derby.
Madrid have struggled to assert control at times this season, being outpossessed in three of their last four matches. Mourinho's side have also, tellingly, lost the second half in four of their last five games, drawing the remaining one.