Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher believes Jose Mourinho is already under significant pressure at Real Madrid, despite the Portuguese manager only returning to the club in the summer.

Real Madrid maintained their perfect Champions League record with a dramatic 4-3 victory over AS Roma, scoring three times in the closing stages after falling 1-3 behind. 

Goals from Kylian Mbappe, Carlos Espi, Endrick and Antonio Rudiger completed the comeback, but the performance did little to convince Carragher that Mourinho has established his trademark defensive structure.

Speaking on CBS Sports, the former Liverpool defender questioned whether Mourinho can implement his preferred tactical approach at a club with so many elite attacking players. 

Carragher questions Mourinho’s influence at Real Madrid

Carragher was asked whether it was unusual to see a Real Madrid side look so vulnerable defensively under a manager renowned for organisation and tactical discipline.

“No. I think it’s very difficult for them to get it, because you’ve got so many great attacking players,” Carragher replied.

“When you go to a club of that size, you have to play them. It’s not a case of you think, ‘Okay, I’ll take an attacking player out and maybe put an extra midfielder there’.

“I think it’s difficult for almost any manager to go to Real Madrid and be themselves. They almost have to play the game of being a Real Madrid coach. 

“We know Jose Mourinho is a properly structured, organised coach – you see that throughout his career. But even he can’t be that at Real Madrid.”

The argument centres on the challenge of balancing Real Madrid’s attacking quality with the defensive discipline Mourinho traditionally demands. 

With several high-profile forwards competing for places, the manager faces pressure to accommodate his biggest names without compromising the team’s overall structure.

Real Madrid’s late comebacks raise concerns

Real Madrid’s victory in Rome provided another example of their ability to recover from difficult situations, but Carragher believes their resilience is concealing deeper problems.

“And it just feels like, even in these early weeks of the season, he’s hanging on by his fingernails, or they’re getting last-minute goals, comebacks. 

“They don’t look convincing at all, really. But they’re just doing enough where you can’t feel like it’s falling apart, or it’s not working. They’re just hanging on in there.”

The comeback against Roma was certainly dramatic, as Real Madrid were trailing 1-3 with eight minutes of normal time remaining before Espi sparked the recovery, followed by further goals from Endrick and Rudiger.

While the result maintained their winning European run, the defensive problems that allowed Roma to build a two-goal advantage remain a concern. 

Barcelona clash could influence Mourinho’s Real Madrid season

Carragher also pointed to Real Madrid’s upcoming meeting with Barcelona as a potentially decisive moment in the league campaign. 

He believes the result could have significant consequences for Mourinho’s ambitions, particularly given the Catalan side’s reported advantage in the standings.

“There’s obviously a big points gap to Barcelona [in La Liga]. They play them at the weekend – if that goes badly wrong, as you’d probably expect it to – probably the league title is over at this stage. 

“But he’s got to try and hang in there as long as he possibly can, and maybe get something from the season in terms of a trophy. 

“Because this Real Madrid team is into year three now without a trophy,” the Liverpool legend concluded.