Mourinho’s tactical fix for Mbappé and Vinícius faces Clásico test

Mourinho’s tactical fix for Mbappé and Vinícius faces Clásico test José Mourinho’s biggest challenge at Real Madrid is finding a way for Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior to thrive together, according to The Athletic’s analysis by Mario Cortegana. Both forwards remain central to the coach’s plans, but their partnership has yet to produce the chemistry Madrid expected. Madrid’s forwards are converging on the same space The problem was evident in the 2-1 derby defeat to Atlético Madrid: both players’ heatmaps showed them repeatedly occupying the left-wing areas, and neither scored. Across Madrid’s first eight matches of the season, Mbappé had eight goals and two assists; Vinícius, one goal and three assists. Mourinho is working to send them into different spaces on the counter. Madrid have also shifted from the 4-4-2 used in recent years to a compact 4-2-3-1, asking the forwards primarily to protect space and preserve the team’s shape. The shared attack of Mbappé and Vinícius remains a key feature of the team, while the use of creative players such as Arda Güler offers another part of the attacking structure Mourinho is shaping . José Mourinho – Photo: Ronnie Macdonald / CC BY 2.0 The stakes are rising before the Clásico Madrid are six points behind Barcelona in La Liga, with the first Clásico of the season scheduled for October 25. The club have gone two seasons without a major trophy and changed coaches four times in that period. The Athletic also points to a lack of creative midfield control since Toni Kroos departed in 2024 and Luka Modrić in 2025. Mourinho inherited a dressing room that had descended into chaos last season, but sources close to the club told The Athletic that the current atmosphere is better. The structural challenge remains: a former member of Madrid’s coaching staff argued that the attack needs a change if the two forwards are to improve together. Mourinho is not planning to drop Vinícius People close to the coach told The Athletic that Mourinho has not seriously considered benching Vinícius, despite reports in Spain. His staff regard both forwards as decisive players, which is why he generally keeps them on the pitch for as long as possible. The report describes their relationship away from football as good, with the disconnect chiefly occurring in the spaces they choose on the pitch. Mourinho dismissed the international-break discussion around Mbappé as “ridiculous” and said the France captain would start against Villarreal on Saturday, October 10. The coach’s public backing of Vinícius has also been evident in his approach to supporting the forward . The Villarreal match and the run towards the Clásico will test whether Mourinho can create greater separation between his forwards without losing their threat. The success of Madrid’s project may depend on finding that balance.