The Athletic interviewed sources at Real Madrid and learned that Vinicius and Mbappe are quietly comparing themselves to each other. For instance, if one were to leave, the other would follow. Because of this tactical issue, a former Real Madrid coaching staff member stated that the problem cannot be solved unless either Vinicius or Mbappe leaves the club.

More than two years ago, Real Madrid stood at the pinnacle of world football. The club had just won their 15th Champions League trophy, breaking the record for most titles in the competition. After years of pursuit, Real Madrid also signed Mbappe on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. Bringing this universally recognized world-class player to Europe's strongest team seemed poised to cement the club's future success.

Vinicius was the top favorite for that year's Ballon d'Or, but Rodri from Manchester City ultimately won the award, leaving everyone at Real Madrid dissatisfied. Meanwhile, Bellingham, in his first season after becoming Real Madrid's most expensive new signing, shone brightly with 23 goals.

The club, fans, and media all indulged in fantasy, imagining the latest "Galacticos" blueprint united by president Florentino. However, reality proved far different. Over the last two seasons, Real Madrid failed to win any major trophies, went through four head coaches, and even held an unexpected presidential election in June.

During this period, Real Madrid often blamed defeats on refereeing decisions, but there was also significant internal criticism: lack of fighting spirit; shortage of creative midfielders who could control the game after Toni Kroos (2024) and Modrić (2025) departed; and lack of chemistry among the superstars.

This is most evident in the dysfunctional partnership between Mbappe and Vinicius. A source who frequently visited Valdebebas training facility over the years said: "The problem lies at the tactical level of football, and it also involves individual ambition, but the main issue is tactical."

Meanwhile, a Real Madrid coaching staff member from recent years acknowledged: "Unless either Vinicius or Mbappe leaves, this problem cannot be solved." Like all sources in this article, the individual mentioned above chose to speak anonymously to avoid damaging relationships.

Currently, Real Madrid trails Barcelona by 6 points in La Liga, and the first El Clásico of the season will be played on October 25. The dressing room inherited by Mourinho fell into chaos last season, culminating in internal conflict between Valverde and Tchouaméni.

Before the international break this season, Real Madrid lost 1-2 to Atlético Madrid. This defeat triggered rumors in Spain that internal team conflict had resurfaced. However, several sources at Valdebebas facility, close to Mourinho and the players, denied these claims. They acknowledged that the team still has room for improvement, and if results continue to decline, team morale could worsen, but the current dressing room atmosphere and player cooperation are better than last season.

A source close to Mourinho said: "The team's defense needs strengthening, and attacking efficiency also needs to improve. This is also the direction Mourinho focused on during the international break, seeking internal adjustments and tactical solutions to address the team's shortcomings."

In the match against Atlético at Cívitas Metropolitano, neither Mbappe nor Vinicius scored. Real Madrid has played 8 matches this season, with Mbappe contributing 8 goals and 2 assists; however, he failed to score in both defeats, and he also missed a penalty in another loss against Real Betis.

Vini Jr. managed only 1 goal and 3 assists in 8 matches, statistics that have raised concerns at the club. Some Spanish media reported that Mourinho was considering benching the Brazilian forward, but sources close to Mourinho stated that he has not seriously considered benching Vinicius.

With Vinicius's poor goal-scoring form, various speculations emerged on social media during the international break, some cited by Spanish media: some speculated that his recent jaw surgery affected his on-field performance, but there is no evidence to support this claim. Real Madrid and Vinicius's team did not respond to The Athletic regarding this matter.

Off the pitch, both stars have also attracted public attention. Previously, photos of Mbappe cycling while recovering from a knee injury in Switzerland triggered controversy on social media, particularly after Mourinho had previously stated in an interview that he did not want players cycling during their holidays. However, Mourinho was not concerned about this incident, as the cycling was a safe recreational trip.

Mourinho addressed this issue at Friday's press conference, calling various rumors about Mbappe during the international break "nonsensical," accusing the media of sensationalism, and confirming that the French captain would start in today's match against Villarreal.

This is not the first time Mbappe has traveled during his recovery, causing dissatisfaction among fans. In the eyes of some dressing room staff and Valdebebas facility personnel, some behaviors of the 27-year-old player have drawn considerable criticism. For example, in May this year, he went on holiday to Italy with his partner while recovering from a hamstring injury.

On the pitch, when the two play together, it is clearly difficult for them to perform at a high level simultaneously. In the city derby, both performed well below their usual standards. Mourinho has tried to get both attacking superstars to attack different spaces during counterattacks. However, since the 2023-24 season, they generally prefer to start attacks from the left wing.

This perhaps explains the view of the former coaching staff member: to break the deadlock, one of the two superstars must leave. Other staff members under former Real Madrid head coaches agreed with this view, adding: "Either there needs to be a structural adjustment, or it will be difficult for them to improve the current situation.

"The team doesn't lack creative talent, but if the defense can only rely on 8 players (Mbappe and Vinicius contribute little in defense), the system is difficult to maintain; and if the team's core players are always accelerating attacks and competing for the same areas, organizing the attack will be extremely difficult."

However, there have been some improvements in their defensive performance. In previous years, Real Madrid used a 4-4-2 formation, which clearly exposed the defensive duties of Mbappe and Vinicius, and their lack of defensive effort was obvious. Mourinho now uses a compact 4-2-3-1 formation, which has reduced the defensive demands on both attacking superstars, only requiring them to protect space and maintain formation.

A source familiar with Mourinho's thinking said: "Mourinho's idea is to find a tactical balance point, involve them in cooperative defense, but without excessive physical exertion, ensuring both remain threats in front of the opponent's penalty box."

Mourinho's predecessors, Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso, and Arbeloa, all tried different solutions, but none could find a way to maximize the activation of both superstars.

Ancelotti insisted on trusting the luxury attack line of Mbappe, Vini Jr., Bellingham, and Rodrygo; Alonso treated the French star as the team's core but clashed with Vinicius and Bellingham; Arbeloa tried to win back the support of Vinicius and Bellingham, but at the cost of losing Mbappe's confidence.

All sources interviewed stated that Mbappe and Vinicius have a good relationship off the pitch. An insider at Valdebebas described their relationship as follows: "They get along personally, but cannot find rhythm together on the pitch."

An insider close to both players revealed: "They don't have a bad relationship or animosity, but they are quietly comparing everything; and if one doesn't participate in defense, the other will also defend passively."

This person also mentioned that Vinicius may harbor resentment over the club's full backing of Mbappe in pursuing the Ballon d'Or. "Everyone in the dressing room has noticed and discussed it; they think Mbappe is most likely to win the Ballon d'Or this year. Real Madrid did work hard to build momentum for him."

Mourinho and his coaching staff's assessment is that Mbappe and Vinicius are decisive forwards, so the Portuguese coach typically keeps them on the pitch as long as possible.

However, whether Mourinho can achieve what all previous Real Madrid head coaches failed to do remains to be seen. The success or failure of Real Madrid's Galacticos project may depend on this.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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