Mourinho kicks off second Real Madrid stint tasked with catching Barcelona

[p]The veteran Portuguese coach returns to the club 16 years after first being appointed but charged with a similar task, deposing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] as the leading club in Spain.[/p][p]Mourinho is also aiming to restore some of the intensity and attitude that defined his first [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Madrid[/a] reign, between 2010-2013, after two seasons without winning a major trophy steered president Florentino Perez back to him.[/p][p]The 15-time European champions have suffered dressing room turbulence, with tensions between players and a succession of coaches unable to find a convincing balance on the pitch.[/p][p]None of Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso or Alvaro Arbeloa could fit the team's attacking stars - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-kylian/Wn6E2SED/"]Kylian Mbappe[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vinicius-junior/CbwQ4Mws/"]Vinicius Junior[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bellingham-jude/QNvlPm7s/"]Jude Bellingham[/a] - in together without compromising the team defensively.[/p][p]Perhaps disciplinarian Mourinho might be the man to make it work, to turn superstars into willing runners without dulling their attacking edge.[/p][embed guid="d6b1a197-916d-4b62-8fa4-671fcd8c8db1" url="https://x.com/realmadriden/status/2090121622778753493" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Portuguese says he returns as a different coach, more mature after years of experience in England, Italy, Turkey and elsewhere.[/p][p][b]"I'm much more mature, less emotional, and more in control... as always, learning from mistakes,"[/b] said the 63-year-old this week, although he insisted he was not "more boring."[/p][p]Mourinho made clear from his first days back at Madrid's Valdebebas training ground what it is he wants from his team.[/p][p][b]"I am here... to create a culture of work, responsibility, ambition,"[/b] said Mourinho, describing his role as a "mission."[/p][p]Perez has certainly given Mourinho the ammunition he needs to catch up with Barcelona.[/p][p]Los Blancos spent heavily this summer, making Ivorian winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diomande-yan/0p2ORrJi/"]Yan Diomande[/a] their record signing at 140 million euros and bringing in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/silva-bernardo/lUg03qcR/"]Bernardo Silva[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cucurella-marc/QTynbZd3/"]Marc Cucurella[/a] among a series of high-profile arrivals.[/p][image alt="Real Madrid's upcoming LaLiga fixtures" id="2cc16697-df0c-421a-818f-798c427fcff5" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="eb4a869e-84de-4081-bbea-5e55883085c7" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]However, some would argue that in not signing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodri/K0G8DB00/"]Rodri[/a], who they were linked with before he joined rivals Barcelona, Madrid have not reinforced sufficiently in midfield.[/p][p]Diomande's arrival adds yet another major attacking threat to a squad that already boasts plenty of them. It may be former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a] midfielder Silva who proves the more significant signing when it comes to balance.[/p][p]Madrid have spent years trying to move on from the era of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kroos-toni/CloE7jjr/"]Toni Kroos[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/modric-luka/bZWyoJnA/"]Luka Modric[/a], whose ability to control matches allowed the forwards great freedom and reduced the team's exposure to relentless opposition attacks.[/p][p]Silva is not a direct replacement for either, but his technical quality gives Mourinho an option for solving a problem that has persisted since their departures.[/p][p]Whether he will be enough to give Madrid a foothold in the biggest games, including against Hansi Flick's double defending Spanish champions, remains to be seen.[/p][embed guid="448fc2c3-8c7d-4720-8a7f-3a4dc5e48bae" url="https://x.com/realmadriden/status/2090151818169118737" social-type="twitter" /][p]Mourinho's first Madrid spell was defined by his rivalry with Pep Guardiola and a Barcelona side that dominated Spanish football.[/p][p]Clasicos became increasingly bitter during his time in Madrid, with touchline confrontations, accusations of refereeing bias and a succession of heated encounters making the rivalry increasingly dark and compelling.[/p][p]Mourinho's Madrid eventually ended their rivals' domestic dominance by winning the title in 2011/12 with a record 100 points.[/p][p][b]This season Madrid visit Barcelona in late October in the first Clasico of the campaign, already eagerly awaited.[/b][/p][p]Between now and then, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/espanyol-QFfPdh1J/real-madrid-W8mj7MDD/?mid=l8fgco7b"]starting at Espanyol on Saturday[/a], Mourinho has two months to get his team fit, firing and, most importantly, all on the same page.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/spain/laliga/"]Follow the new LaLiga season with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]