Real Madrid News
Mourinho to bring three of his current staff members at Benfica to Real Madrid – report
Jose Mourinho is all set to return to Real Madrid as the new manager, with the announcement only a matter of time.
Indeed, everything has been agreed between the club and the Portuguese tactician over a return to the Santiago Bernabeu 13 years after his first stint.
The only detail remaining is for the coach to sign his contract, which is expected to take place once the presidential elections are out of the way.
Three Benfica staff members to follow
Now, according to AS, Mourinho will bring his assistants from Benfica with him to Real Madrid.
His trusted inner circle – Joao Tralhao and Pedro Machado, his assistants, and Roberto Merella, his current analyst – will also be part of the move from Benfica to Madrid.
Tralhao happens to Mourinho’s right-hand man – the first assistant manager and the person that the Portuguese boss trusts the most.
Tralhao was the man on the bench when Benfica faced Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in February in the UEFA Champions League, with Mourinho missing the match due to suspension.
Madrid is not unfamiliar territory for him either. In 2023 and 2024, he worked as a professor in Real Madrid’s football coaching and sporting management master’s program. Now, he is expected to become the club’s assistant coach.
Pedro Machado, Mourinho’s second assistant at the Portuguese club, will also follow him to the Bernabeu. Like Tralhao, Machado too has been working with the former Chelsea boss since his spell at Fenerbahce.
Finally, Roberto Merella has been working as Mourinho’s analyst since 2022 when they crossed paths at AS Roma. Since then, he has become another highly trusted figure for the Portuguese tactician.
The Italian followed Mourinho to Fenerbahce, then Benfica, and now is expected to move with him to Real Madrid.
What about in-house staff at Real Madrid?
Meanwhile, as reported earlier this week, Mourinho is expected to keep Real Madrid’s current fitness coach, Antonio Pintus, in his staff as per the request of club president Florentino Perez.
There has also been speculation about current manager Alvaro Arbeloa becoming a part of Mourinho’s staff, but that seems unlikely now, with Tralhao expected to be the new assistant coach.
However, it has been suggested that an unnamed former Real Madrid player could join Mourinho’s staff to act as a conduit between the coach and the players.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. admits finishing problem after another frustrating night vs Elche: ‘Can’t miss that much’
Vinicius Jr.’s difficult start in front of goal continued against Elche, and the Real Madrid forward did not need anyone to tell him he had missed another chance to make the difference.
The Brazilian finished the night without a goal despite having chances to get on the scoresheet, while his teammates could only watch from the bench as opportunities went begging.
Jose Mourinho had already identified the problem before kick-off, bluntly pointing to the issue facing his forward, stating, “He’s missing the goal.”
Vini offered an equally frank assessment afterwards.
Rather than hide from another frustrating evening, he accepted responsibility on social media: “The goals will come back; I can’t miss that much…”
Two chances, no finish for Vinicius
Vinicius had two particularly clear openings against Elche, but neither produced the finish Real Madrid needed from their star forward.
The first arrived when he found himself one-on-one with the opposition goalkeeper.
Instead of finding the net, Vinicius caught the ball with the tip of his foot and sent his effort wide. Arda Guler was available during the move and called for the ball, but Vini backed himself to finish the chance.
He had another opportunity after the interval, this time following an excellent pass from Guler during a quick Real Madrid transition. Again, though, Vinicius could not find the target.
His evening ended in the 68th minute, with Mourinho deciding the Brazilian was tired and turning his attention towards Sunday’s Atletico Madrid derby.
Mourinho has a bigger decision to make
The numbers show why Vinicius’ finishing has become a talking point. He managed five shots against Elche, but only one was on target and none found the net.
After seven appearances this season, the Brazilian has scored just once, which is a striking return for a player Real Madrid rely upon to provide a major share of their attacking threat.
Ultimately, though, Real Madrid found another route to victory, with Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe and Carlos Espi providing the goals in the 3-2 comeback.
