Madrid’s New Ruthless Blueprint

Jose Mourinho’s second spell at Real Madrid has opened with a clean, forceful message: the club is winning again, and it looks organised while doing it. Three league matches into the 2026/27 season, Madrid have taken nine points from nine and sit at the top of La Liga, with a start Mourinho did not manage during his first stay.

A Perfect Start With Plenty of Bite

The opening run has been sharp rather than flashy, and that suits the mood around the Bernabeu. Real Madrid edged Espanyol 2-1 away, then handled Real Sociedad 4-1 at home, before closing the week with a 4-0 win over Malaga on August 30.

The Malaga result carried the clearest signal yet that this side is settling into Mourinho’s preferred rhythm. Madrid controlled the game, stayed compact without the ball, and still found several different routes to goal.

• Jude Bellingham struck first in the 19th minute
• Bellingham then created an own goal seven minutes later to stretch the lead
• Kylian Mbappe added the third goal
• Arda Guler, assisted by Vinicius Junior, completed the scoring

There was no concession in that match, and that matters just as much as the goals. Madrid have not merely started well; they have started with control.

Why This Opening Is Different

The first thing that stands out is the contrast with Mourinho’s earlier Madrid tenure. In his original three seasons, he never produced three straight league wins to begin a campaign. This time, he has done it immediately.

• 2010/11: 2 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses
• 2011/12: 2 wins, 0 draws, 1 loss
• 2012/13: 1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss
• 2026/27: 3 wins, 0 draws, 0 losses

That makes this the strongest league opening Mourinho has ever had at Real Madrid. Three matches do not define a season, of course, but they can reveal direction. Right now, the direction is clear.

Summer Spending Changed the Shape of the Team

Madrid did not leave the squad as it was. The club backed Mourinho heavily, committing close to £200 million to reshape the roster around his ideas. The new arrivals suggest a squad built for balance rather than just reputation.

Key additions include:

• Marc Cucurella, signed from Chelsea for about £52 million, and already important on the left side
• Denzel Dumfries, brought in from Inter Milan to give more thrust from right back
• Ibrahima Konate, added on a free transfer from Liverpool to strengthen the centre of defence
• Bernardo Silva, another free transfer, arriving from Manchester City with major experience and a winning pedigree

This is the kind of recruitment that looks designed to support a manager with strong opinions about structure, width, and work rate.

Bellingham’s New Role Is Paying Off

The most obvious tactical change is the space being given to Jude Bellingham. Rather than asking him to crowd the same zones as Vinicius Junior and Mbappe, Mourinho has placed him in a more central pocket behind the front line.

That adjustment gives Madrid a cleaner attacking map. Bellingham can connect play, arrive late, and finish chances, while the forwards ahead of him stretch the pitch and attack open space. It is a simple idea, but it fits the squad far better than a crowded front line would.

Mourinho is also leaning on a rebuilt back line to keep the team stable when possession is lost. So far, that trade-off looks worthwhile.

The Tone From the Bench Remains Measured

For all the positive signs, Mourinho is not selling the start as a finished product. After a preseason win over Deportivo, he kept his comments focused on work still ahead, not on celebration. “You know the five who are at Valdebebas. And next week, the real work begins,” he said.

That restraint fits the manager’s style. He rarely allows a good result to become a comfort blanket, and Madrid probably need that edge. The club has gone two seasons without a major trophy, so nine points from nine is useful mainly because it creates momentum, not because it solves everything.

Still, the early evidence is hard to ignore. Mourinho has returned with a squad shaped to suit him, a structure that already looks more coherent, and a start that his first Madrid team never matched. That does not guarantee silverware, but it does suggest this version of Real Madrid is beginning to resemble the one he wanted to restore.