Mourinho returns to Bernabéu for Real Madrid clash

José Mourinho will return to the Santiago Bernabéu as Real Madrid coach on Wednesday, 13 years after his departure in 2013. The match against Real Sociedad, postponed from the first round, marks his first home game of his second spell. Mourinho has called for a fresh start, asking fans to support the team rather than him personally Source: Infobae.

Key messages

• Protection for Vinícius: Mourinho criticized the treatment of Vinícius Jr., saying referees must protect players. "If I can machacar a Vini, presionarlo físicamente o con palabras, si la tarjeta amarilla me llega después de hacer 10 faltas... Es un tratamiento que no me gusta" Source: Excelsior. He also urged Vinícius to improve emotional control against non-racist insults Source: El Confidencial.
• Trust in referees: Despite past tensions, Mourinho expressed confidence in Spanish refereeing, stating he believes no official is influenced by the Negreira case Source: El País.
• Squad status: He said the squad is "closed" but the transfer market remains open, leaving room for possible movements Source: El Nacional.

Team news

Mourinho repeated the same 23-man squad from the Espanyol match, with eight players injured, including Rodrygo, Mendy, and Tchouaméni Source: Infobae. The coach acknowledged the tactical challenge of fitting Bellingham, Mbappé, and Vinícius together but expressed confidence in their compatibility Source: Excelsior.

Context

Mourinho's return comes after a 2-1 win at Espanyol, with a late goal from debutant Carlos Espí Source: Diario Libre. The club has not won a major trophy in two years, and Mourinho aims to challenge Barcelona's dominance Source: El Español. Sources note a more serene Mourinho, who has learned that leadership need not always involve conflict Source: ABC.