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In the same sit-down with El Chiringuito, when José Mourinho claimed he was "more mature now, less emotional, more controlled," the 63-year-old subtly acknowledged that some things never truly change.
"I've still got the same DNA," he continued. "Obviously, I can't hide or pretend to be someone I'm not."
It didn't take long for Mourinho to shed the pretense of being a reformed character. He was back to his old tricks before the international break, brandishing a pair of printed documents at his press conference to highlight two red cards Atlético Madrid should have been shown before Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen was sent off at the beginning of the second half, decisively swinging a dull derby in Atléti's favor.
And the lengthy international break did little to calm the Madrid boss. In Saturday's 1–0 win over Villarreal, Mourinho joined his players in celebrating after Vinícius Júnior believed he had ended a six-week goal drought.
However, Mourinho's sprint along the touchline was merely the calm before the storm.
Why José Mourinho Didn't Speak to the Media After Villarreal Win
Yan Diomande may have netted his first Real Madrid goal, but Vinícius Jr's red card for grabbing Nathan Saliba's hair in the lead-up to his ultimately disallowed strike was the defining controversy of Los Blancos' victory.
The Brazilian had little grounds to dispute the call, as hair pulling is classified as violent conduct under Law 12 of IFAB's laws of the game. He is now set to miss El Clásico in a fortnight, likely serving a three-match ban.
A reportedly furious Mourinho had no desire to join Viní Jr on the suspended list ahead of the trip to Barcelona. Mundo Deportivo and The Athletic reported that Mourinho informed club officials after the game that he would not be addressing the press, fearing his anger over the refereeing decisions might get the better of him.
"I want to be there against Sevilla and Barça," Mourinho reportedly said.
The 63-year-old has wasted no time reverting to his trademark "us-against-the-world" mentality in an attempt to rally a Madrid squad that appears hopelessly outclassed by a dominant Barcelona in La Liga. Hansi Flick's back-to-back champions claimed another win at the weekend, prior to Madrid's disputed victory over Villarreal, and now sit six points ahead of Mourinho's side.
Atléti also claimed their fourth consecutive league win on Saturday, keeping them a point ahead of their city rivals in second place.
Defining Period Beckons for Mourinho's Madrid
While the manner of the result was far from convincing and overshadowed by Vinícius Jr's dismissal, Madrid still managed to grind out a crucial win against a side that finished third in La Liga last season.
Yet there has been little indication so far that Mourinho is the right man to help Los Blancos unseat La Blaugrana. Flick's Barça are characterized by their relentless pressing, fluid combination play, and the brilliance of Lamine Yamal on the right wing. Madrid, by contrast, still look like a disjointed unit waiting for their individual quality to carry them through.
One of their key figures, Vinícius Jr, is going through a difficult spell—the kind that has prompted conspiracy theorists to joke that the Brazilian was swapped out for a lookalike after the World Cup. Kylian Mbappé, meanwhile, has a remarkable ability to leave fans underwhelmed despite his impressive scoring numbers for the club.
Convincing proof that the two can function as a cohesive force within a winning system remains elusive.
A challenging run of fixtures also looms. The season's first Clásico is dominating conversation in the capital, as evidenced by Mourinho's post-match maneuvering on Saturday, but by fixating on the champions, Madrid risk losing focus when they resume their Champions League campaign against Roma and RB Leipzig. Sevilla and Racing Santander are unlikely to roll over without a fight, either.