Real Madrid News
Former Barcelona star Lewandowski admits Real Madrid are ‘stronger with Jose Mourinho’
Former Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has admitted that Real Madrid look stronger with Jose Mourinho in charge, although the Polish forward was quick to make it clear where his loyalty remains.
Lewandowski, who left Barcelona this summer to continue his career in Major League Soccer, spoke to AS about several subjects and was asked about Madrid’s prospects following an eventful summer at the Santiago Bernabéu, and his assessment was positive.
Real Madrid have added several high-profile players during the transfer window, but Lewandowski believes Mourinho’s arrival could be just as important as the new signings.
“Real Madrid are now stronger with the new signings and with José (Mourinho).”
Mourinho gives Real Madrid a different edge
Real Madrid’s summer has been about more than recruitment.
The club has brought in several established players, strengthening a squad that had gone two consecutive seasons without winning La Liga.
The Portuguese coach has returned to the Bernabéu with the task of restoring Real Madrid’s competitive edge after a period in which the team have failed to match Barcelona domestically.
Lewandowski believes that mentality could ultimately be decisive.
“My feeling is that, after two years without winning anything, their mindset is crucial and they could be very strong this season, but I’m always on Barcelona’s side,” added the former Barcelona forward.
After two seasons without a major trophy, the reaction of the dressing room and the players’ desire to respond could have a major bearing on Real Madrid’s campaign.
Barcelona remain Lewandowski’s choice
Despite praising Real Madrid, Lewandowski did not hesitate when it came to his own preference.
The former Barça forward remains firmly behind his old club, stating, “I’m always on Barcelona’s side,” he added.
Barcelona have won the league in each of the last two seasons, while Madrid have gone through three different managers during that period before Florentino Perez turned to Mourinho.
The appointment is therefore intended to bring stability and a stronger competitive mentality to a side that knows it cannot afford another domestic campaign without silverware.
So far, both Real Madrid and Barcelona have won their opening three La Liga matches, leaving the clubs level at the top of the early standings.
Of course, three matches are nowhere near enough to determine where the title will end up. But the early results reinforce the expectation that this year’s championship race could be considerably tighter.
According to AS, everyone at Real Madrid has rallied around Eduardo Camavinga during a particularly difficult period of his career.
After making it clear that he had no intention of leaving the club this summer, Camavinga has received the full backing of the dressing room and coaching staff.
While Real Madrid remained open to a transfer during the summer, they did not turn their backs on the midfielder.
Instead, the focus throughout has been on helping him rediscover his touch, confidence and the level of performance he has shown he is capable of reaching.
Within the club, there is a determination to support him and help him get back to his best.
The real problem has been confidence
The feeling at Valdebebas is that Camavinga’s biggest issue has been psychological rather than physical or technical.
His poor end to last season, compounded by his sending-off against Bayern Munich and the disappointment of missing the World Cup, left him badly affected. From there, the task has been to rebuild his confidence.
It was never considered a question of fitness, nor of his basic footballing ability. The bigger challenge has been getting Camavinga’s mindset back to where it needs to be. That is why the club’s support has been so important.
Mourinho backs Camavinga
New manager Jose Mourinho was particularly strong in his defence of Camavinga after the match against Malaga.
“Today, a boy who isn’t very loved… played a great game, Camavinga. I’m very happy with the response he gave. I saw a lot of commitment,” he said.
Camavinga started against Malaga this past weekend and completed the full 90 minutes, producing some encouraging numbers.
He completed 64 passes, the third-highest total in the team. He was also Real Madrid’s leader for recoveries (9), while his 83 touches ranked him third for involvement.
There were still mistakes during the game, some of which drew whistles from the Bernabeu. Nevertheless, his overall display helped repair some of the damage to his reputation.
Camavinga determined to stay
The transfer situation has been clear for several weeks. Real Madrid had been open to selling Camavinga, but the player was always determined to remain at the club. His firm stance effectively stopped any potential deal from developing.
Furthermore, no offer arrived at the Bernabeu close to the figure Real Madrid were planning to demand either, with the club valuing him at a minimum of €70 million.
Camavinga has been working with Mourinho since 13 July, when the manager’s new project began. The relationship between the pair is good, even though both understand that breaking into the starting XI will be difficult.
Federico Valverde is considered indispensable, while competition for the other midfield position is expected to be fierce, with Aurelien Tchouameni and Bernardo Silva also in the picture.
Camavinga understands the doubts surrounding him and knows how far his performances have fallen. But he wants to stay and fight his way back.
