Mourinho Rebuilds Real Madrid with a 4-2-3-1 and Six Signings to End Trophy Drought

Six signings, a new coach and a formation change that's already showing up in training. The Real Madrid side that kicks off LaLiga on Saturday, August 22 at Espanyol's stadium bears little resemblance to the one that closed out last season without lifting a single trophy. That number, zero silverware, weighs heavier than it might seem once you consider the talent Álvaro Arbeloa had at his disposal. Against that backdrop, José Mourinho's arrival in the dugout isn't just a simple change of coach: it's an invitation to rethink almost everything.

The first thing that jumps out is the formation. The Portuguese coach has tried out a 4-2-3-1 in preseason, with a double pivot and Jude Bellingham operating freely behind the striker, moving away from the 4-3-3 that Madrid wore for the last several seasons. It's not a minor detail: it changes roles, changes the distances between lines and forces a rethink of where pricey pieces like Yan Diomandé, the club's biggest investment in its history at more than 125 million euros, actually fit.

The Puzzle on the Right

Up top there's little doubt: Kylian Mbappé as the reference point, Bellingham tucked in between the lines and Vinícius Júnior, having already signed his renewal, on the left. The debate is on the other flank. Is Diomandé a pure winger to add speed and unpredictability, or would an extra midfielder give the team more order? With the Ivorian in the lineup, Mourinho gains vertigo and pace; with Bernardo Silva or Arda Güler there, he gains control. Fede Valverde could also show up on that side, though everything points to the Uruguayan starting closer to the center of midfield.

Diomandé's adjustment, at just 19 years old, will end up determining how much of a role he plays week to week.

Tchouaméni Is Set, His Partner Is the Question

In midfield, Aurélien Tchouaméni looks like an untouchable: he's the squad's only true positional holding midfielder, a fact that carries even more weight now that the move for Rodri never materialized. The question is who plays alongside him. Valverde looks like the natural candidate to provide solidity, with Bernardo Silva as an alternative when the team needs more ball control, and Güler as an option for matches where Mourinho wants to prioritize combination play. Academy product Thiago Pitarch, who already showed legs and lungs under Arbeloa, looks like a rotation option.

At the back, Marc Cucurella looks set to be the undisputed starter at left back, pushing Ferland Mendy into a secondary role. In central defense, Dean Huijsen and Antonio Rüdiger would start, while Ibrahima Konaté and the physical recovery of Éder Militão promise to raise the defensive level over time. On the right, Denzel Dumfries and Trent Alexander-Arnold would split minutes depending on the opponent's demands: the Dutchman for matches requiring more defensive legwork, the Englishman for games at the Bernabéu where the team needs clean buildup play.

With all these pieces still in motion, August 22 at Cornellà-El Prat will offer the first real clue as to where Mourinho wants to take this revamped Real Madrid.