Real Madrid's Glaring Weakness Exposed—Here's Exactly How They Must Fix It

"The good thing is that nobody gets bored in Real Madrid games," José Mourinho said following his side's victory over Elche on Tuesday. "They're genuinely entertaining."

He has a point. What should have been a straightforward win for Los Blancos against a side hovering near the bottom of the La Liga table transformed into a heart-pounding second-half spectacle at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero, as the visitors squandered a 2–0 lead with fewer than ten minutes remaining.

Arda Güler's breathtaking free kick, deflected into his own net by Matías Dituro, handed Madrid a first-half lead, which was quickly extended after Kylian Mbappé tapped home from Yan Diomande's cross.

It should have been all over before the interval.

Instead, the home side mounted a comeback. Abiel Osorio powered a header into the net on 71 minutes, before Fer Niño drew level shortly after with a sharp turn and low finish past Thibaut Courtois. Mourinho's galácticos had been rattled by a team that had looked completely outclassed at the break.

Substitute Carlos Espí rescued Real Madrid from an embarrassing situation, slotting home a stoppage-time winner to secure all three points ahead of the Madrid derby this weekend.

Mourinho Identifies 'Obvious' Problem

This marks the second occasion this season that summer recruit Espí has played the role of super sub, with the 21-year-old also coming off the bench to net a late winner in the opening gameweek against Espanyol.

Reflecting on the dramatic conclusion, Mourinho described the problem as "obvious," hinting that his squad lacks the ruthlessness needed to put games to bed.

"In matches that look finished, we have three, four, five chances to kill it off, and we don't take them," the manager told the press. "We didn't score, we didn't close it out at 3 or 4-0. When it looks straightforward, you let things slip like that, away from home in these stadiums.

"They score and suddenly it's an open game. The positive is that when things get difficult, the team responds and finds a way to win."

Familiar Issues This Season

It remains a limited sample, but Real Madrid's inability to close out matches is developing into a recurring theme in 2026–27, with Elche serving as the most glaring example to date.

Following the dramatic opening-night win over Espanyol, Los Blancos cruised past Real Sociedad and Málaga, before suffering a surprise defeat at Real Betis—despite generating a massive 3.46 xG.

Los Blancos' Champions League opener against Inter Milan was similarly nervy, with Madrid building a 2–0 first-half cushion only to allow the Italian champions back into the contest after the break. Although the game ended in a 2–1 win, the nature of the performance drew boos and whistles from supporters at the Bernabéu.

There was also discontent in the stands during the second half of the 4–1 win over Rayo Vallecano, as a noticeable dip in intensity allowed the visitors to gain a foothold, before Mbappé's late goal settled the matter.

Game Management Key for Madrid

While the Betis loss was an uncharacteristic off-night for Mbappé, Mourinho could scarcely ask for a more lethal striker than the Frenchman, who has hit the ground running with seven goals in six appearances this season.

Chance creation is clearly not a concern for Madrid either. No side in La Liga boasts a higher xG this season (17.73), and no team has struck the woodwork more times than Madrid in 2026–27 (9).

The statistics indicate that even where Madrid have fallen short of their clinical best, any shortcomings in front of goal owe as much to misfortune as to any deep-rooted attacking deficiency.

In truth, the central issue with Madrid's performances this season has been game management. The wins over Espanyol, Inter, and Elche need not have been so tense, and could have been wrapped up far more comfortably with sharper game control.

Given their squad depth and stature, Los Blancos are expected to comprehensively dominate most of their fixtures, yet that level of control has not quite materialized under Mourinho.

Madrid rank only third for possession in La Liga (averaging 54.6%), well adrift of Barcelona (68.5%) and Villarreal (61%). In the win over Elche, Madrid held just 44% of the ball, while they managed only 36% possession against Inter.

Mourinho has rotated his defensive and midfield options throughout the early weeks of the season, and the squad still needs time to build cohesion and settle into their respective roles. Some growing pains are inevitable. Nevertheless, the absence of a tempo-controlling, deep-lying midfielder for the third consecutive season remains the elephant in the room, with Mourinho still searching for his ideal midfield combination.

The charged atmosphere of the Madrid derby presents the next opportunity—if not the most forgiving setting—for the team to work on keeping their composure during matches.

To borrow from Mourinho himself, it's unlikely to be a dull affair.