100 days of Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid: Results, stability and unfinished business

100 days of Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid: Results, stability and unfinished business 20 October 2026 marks 100 days since Jose Mourinho’s sensational return to Real Madrid. His second spell at the Santiago Bernabeu seems to be moving in the right direction, but there is a lot of room for improvement. Beyond the results, the Portuguese manager has brought greater stability to a club whose dressing room issues have overshadowed the football in the last couple of seasons. With nine victories from his first 11 matches, Mourinho boasts an impressive 81 percent win rate in his second stint. However, while the performances have not always been convincing, his influence has extended beyond the league table. Mourinho’s arrival has changed the dynamics in the dressing room and made the club more united than it was before. Strong results and a calmer dressing room Mourinho’s home form has been encouraging, to say the least. The Portuguese manager has overseen six victories from six matches at the Bernabeu. His team have scored 19 goals in these six games and conceded only four, using the Bernabeu as their 12th man. The record reflects a side that are very comfortable playing in their own backyard and can deliver convincing performances too. Mourinho has completed 100 days in his second stint at Real Madrid. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) Equally important for Mourinho has been the improved atmosphere within the squad. Last season was marked by several internal disagreements between key players. Restoring dressing room harmony was an essential part of Mourinho’s task. One of the first things he did was to establish a clear hierarchy. Thibaut Courtois, Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde have emerged as the clear leaders around whom the squad has been built. Each offers something different, with Courtois bringing security in goal and a calm presence off it, Valverde bringing intensity and leadership, and Mbappe setting an example through his goals. Another admirable aspect of Mourinho’s management is how well he has managed to ease the summer signings into his first-team plans. With the exception of Ibrahima Konate, who has been a guaranteed starter, Mourinho is still integrating the other summer arrivals into his plans without rushing things. Injury management and the Vinicius challenge Another encouraging area for Real Madrid is how Mourinho has handled the fitness situation and gone about improving the injury record. After suffering 60 injuries last season, the club have begun to see signs of improvement in an area that has affected them repeatedly. 100 days is too short to declare the problem solved, but it is a first step in the right direction from Mourinho and his staff. There is one major challenge that still lies ahead of the Portuguese manager: restoring Vinicius Jr.’s confidence and helping him return to his highest level . Some progress made but still a long way to go. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) The Brazilian has been in disastrous form since the start of the season and has not gelled as well as the other attackers. A fully confident Vinicius would provide Real Madrid with another attacking outlet capable of single-handedly changing games. Mourinho’s outspoken persona Mourinho has also become the club’s spokesperson in the ongoing controversy with Barcelona surrounding the Negreira case and Spanish refereeing. His willingness to publicly support the club’s position has strengthened the relationship he has with the supporters. Nevertheless, the ex-Benfica manager knows that his tenure will ultimately be judged by performances and silverware. The first 100 days have delivered results, stability and renewed confidence. However, this is just the start. The upcoming El Clasico against Barcelona at the Camp Nou is an important early test for Jose Mourinho. A victory would reduce the six-point gap and be Mourinho’s best moment since returning. It remains to be seen how Los Blancos fare against the Catalan giants.