Mourinho keeps same squad list again, with Cucurella the only change for Malaga visit

Third matchday of LaLiga, third identical squad list. Mourinho hasn't touched a single comma in his call-up sheet, and in modern soccer, that already says quite a bit. The Portuguese coach names the exact same group of players for the third consecutive time as Real Madrid host Malaga this Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu, with just one move that's more of a footnote than a tactical shift.

This summer's signings are all present once again. Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, Bernardo Silva, Yan Diomande and Carlos Espi are all in the traveling squad, and Mourinho himself cleared up any doubts about one of them at his pre-match press conference: Cucurella will start. The Englishman will take over the left flank in place of Alvaro Carreras, breaking from the pattern of the first two matchdays, when the starting lineup had been exactly the same.

The only real change in the squad list comes in goal. Javi Navarro makes the list in place of Sergio Mestre, who had been called up for the match against Real Sociedad. Alongside Navarro, the academy once again contributes three more names: Mario Rivas, Jorge Cestero and Alexis Ciria round out the group of youth players joining the first team.

Seven absences and a cautious timeline for returns

Real Madrid's injury list remains long. Seven players are unavailable to Mourinho: Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo Goes are all carrying long-term injuries, while the coach hopes to have Endrick, Aurelien Tchouameni, Thiago Pitarch and Raul Asencio back in September.

On the timelines for Endrick and Tchouameni, Mourinho was especially detailed at his press conference, making clear he has no intention of rushing anyone back:

Endrick is close. Of everyone, he's the closest to returning, but I don't want to take any risks. I don't want to risk telling you he could be ready for Betis, but he could be ready for Betis or maybe for the first Champions League match. The other processes are more complicated, like Militao, Rodrygo or Asencio.Jose Mourinho

The message on Tchouameni was similar, almost a textbook lesson in patience. The Frenchman is coming off an extremely long season, including the Club World Cup, and the coach prefers not to rush anything:

With Tchouameni's situation we have to keep emotions in check, because I don't want him, out of his own desire to play, to come on and then have to come back off. He played at the World Cup, he stopped, and then he played again in the semifinal. I don't want to start the season in August with a situation like that. I'd rather wait a little and have Tchouameni at full strength, because he's an important player for us.Jose Mourinho

There's another issue that usually keeps top coaches up at night: lineup leaks. Mourinho, though, doesn't seem too bothered by it. Asked directly whether it worries him that an opponent might learn his starting eleven ahead of time, he drew an interesting distinction between name changes and structural changes: to him, swapping Carreras for Cucurella doesn't alter anything essential about the game plan, but lining up with three center backs or mixing pieces in unexpected ways would be a problem if it got out. He closed the thought with a nod to his own locker room, hinting that internal silence, when it happens, is also a good sign of team unity.