Real Madrid News
Real Madrid administration prioritise cultural rebuild over signings amid internal crisis
Real Madrid’s internal crisis is currently one of the most talked about topics in world football, and it is clear that the club is being seen as in downfall from the outside.
For starters, Los Blancos are now on their second straight season without major silverware which comes as a massive blow to their image.
Further, news of internal fights leading up to even hospitalisations, a lack of respect for the manager, and a player-centric dressing room atmosphere are all ruining the image of Real Madrid.
A change in mission
Florentino Perez and Co., needless to say, are worried by the direction the club is headed in both a sporting and a cultural sense. Their priority seemed to be to get the sporting project back in line, but that appears to have changed now.
According to reports from Diario AS, Los Blancos’ primary mission is no longer about winning titles but about restoring the lost prestige and values within the club.
There is an internal belief that the current crisis is far more than a sporting block and that there is a loss of discipline, respect, and leadership within the dressing room.
This has led the management to believe that ‘rebuilding the character’ of the broken dressing room is more important than making massive summer signings.
Only nine players from the current Real Madrid squad have remained free from controversy and internal tussles and the management understands how much damage is being done to the club’s image.
They are thus not only focusing on ensuring that there is better harmony internally but also that there are no leaks of any internal tussles in the future. Signings and sporting moves will now take a back step.
After a month into the new season, Aurelien Tchouameni is finally back in action for Real Madrid.
The Frenchman made his first appearance of the season for the Merengues last night against Inter Milan after recovering from the muscular injury that delayed his campaign.
His return to fitness had raised questions over where he would fit into Mourinho’s plans.
Tchouameni has been a regular in Real Madrid’s midfield for several seasons under different managers, but the end of last season was far less straightforward.
His confrontation with Federico Valverde, combined with speculation over his future at the club, created uncertainty about his position. His lack of a proper pre-season also appeared to put him behind other midfield options.
Bernardo Silva had established himself as an important figure, while Eduardo Camavinga was also ahead of Tchouameni in terms of match fitness.
With Real Madrid looking for greater creativity in midfield, there were questions over whether the Frenchman would still be a first-choice player.
Key for Mourinho
According to AS (h/t Bernabeu Digital), however, Mourinho has no such doubts. Tchouameni remains a key player for the Portuguese coach and is expected to be a starter.
Mourinho sees the French international as a midfielder without a direct replacement in the squad.
For Jose, Tchouameni provides something that none of the other midfielders in the squad do – a more defensive and positional presence, combining his tactical discipline with considerable physical strength.
His ability to shield the defence and provide balance could be particularly important for a Real Madrid side that want to defend aggressively and attack quickly in transition.
For that reason, his absence at the start of the campaign has not changed the manager’s view of his importance.
Mourinho faces a midfield selection problem
The challenge for Mourinho now is finding a way to fit all the pieces together.
If Tchouameni is guaranteed a starting position and Valverde is considered untouchable as captain, the obvious consequence is that Bernardo could find himself starting from the bench.
The summer arrival had been given an important role in helping Real Madrid control and distribute possession from deeper positions.
However, with Tchouameni and Valverde both occupying midfield places, Mourinho cannot accommodate everyone in the same lineup.
How the Portuguese coach manages that competition will be interesting to see in the coming weeks.
