Mourinho admits 'frenetic' Real need to control matches better ahead of Madrid derby

[p]Before the first major test of Mourinho's second spell at the helm, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Los Blancos[/a] have shown attacking dynamism the coach called "frenetic", but the Portuguese veteran acknowledged his team cannot shut the door on opponents.[/p][p]Madrid trail unbeaten champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] at the top of the table by three points, after losing one of their six opening games and winning the other five, with Atletico third.[/p][p]However they needed late strikes by back-up striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/espi-carlos/WURwLTen/"]Carlos Espi[/a] to secure wins at Espanyol and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/elche/4jl02tPF/"]Elche[/a] to cling to Barcelona's tail.[/p][p][b]"The problem seems obvious to me. It's harder to know why, but it's easy to understand that there are matches that seem over and, in the end, aren't," [/b]said Mourinho.[/p][embed guid="abb6e883-abff-4134-8165-7319104533e2" url="https://x.com/realmadrid/status/2101280143109218718" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"(There are) matches where we have three, four, five chances to finish them and don't.[/b][/p][p][b]"After failing to do so, it feels like we go from ease, because it seemed easy, to losing control."[/b][/p][p]Wily Atletico coach Diego Simeone will aim to punish Madrid [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/atl-madrid-jaarqpLQ/real-madrid-W8mj7MDD/summary/stats/?mid=hGycdKve"]if they take their eye off the ball in the derby[/a].[/p][p]Mourinho said his team's defensive issues were of concern for that game and beyond.[/p][p][b]"Not just for Sunday's match, but for every match. I like my team to score goals... but I also like controlling matches,"[/b] explained Mourinho.[/p][p][b]"I don't like gifting control. It's not about the goals, it's about giving away control of the match."[/b][/p][embed guid="5d21eb67-7f1e-4e42-af7d-45c949621e46" url="https://x.com/realmadrid/status/2101269026060001550" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/silva-bernardo/lUg03qcR/"]Bernardo Silva[/a] is likely to start against Atletico after being rested against Elche on Tuesday, which could help Madrid take a firmer grip on the game, although Mourinho's squad does not seem ideally equipped to control matches despite a lavish summer spending spree.[/p][p][b]"We're a frenetic side, who gets the ball back and accelerates,"[/b] said Mourinho.[/p][p]Madrid's team is defined by their star attacking trio of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vinicius-junior/CbwQ4Mws/"]Vinicius Junior[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-kylian/Wn6E2SED/"]Kylian Mbappe[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bellingham-jude/QNvlPm7s/"]Jude Bellingham[/a], which effectively ensures they will play at great pace, regardless of the scenario, which can leave them exposed at the back.[/p][h2]Ceuta shirt fallout[/h2][p]Vinicius Junior is often jeered by Atletico Madrid fans, and that could be exacerbated in Sunday's away trip after the forward, along with teammates Kylian Mbappe and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/konate-ibrahima/QJlbDbQe/"]Ibrahima Konate[/a], did not fully wear a t-shirt supporting the people of Ceuta.[/p][p]The Madrid trio partially obscured a message on the shirt reading "we are all Ceutans", regarding the Spanish territory in north Africa affected by a migration crisis with Morocco.[/p][image alt="Recent results" id="3950bc14-9e22-41db-8f3f-e824e42e837f" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="90f5f627-bbec-49a3-9b9a-c8a01cfc67e4" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]LaLiga president Javier Tebas criticised the three players on Wednesday for not wearing the shirt properly ahead of Madrid's late win against Elche.[/p][p]Mbappe said his decision to roll up the shirt was to make a gesture in support of immigrants who had lost their lives while trying to cross the border, but also supported Ceutans.[/p][p]Vinicius has been whistled by his own fans in recent weeks for poor goalscoring form, and he could not find the net again in the narrow victory at Elche.[/p][embed guid="8c841120-b680-4f77-aeaa-894bc38d9b15" url="https://x.com/realmadrid/status/2101008357423227055" social-type="twitter" /][p]Mourinho said he is waiting for the Vinicius that "kills" games and led Madrid to two Champions League triumphs to return, and Sunday would be the perfect occasion.[/p][p][b]"The goals will come back, I can't miss so many (chances)," [/b]wrote Vinicius on Instagram after the Elche game, in which he spurned three good opportunities.[/p][p]The forward has one goal this season, in contrast to Mbappe, who boasts eight across all competitions.[/p][p]Mourinho hailed the lethal French striker as "not normal" and the red-hot Mbappe will see the derby clash as another opportunity to pick up votes in his Ballon d'Or campaign, as well as keeping the pressure on Barcelona.[/p][p]Since Mbappe arrived in Madrid in 2024, the Spanish giants have failed to win a major trophy.[/p][p][b]To stop Flick's free-scoring Barca, who have won LaLiga two years running, Madrid cannot afford to drop many points, let alone against Simeone's side.[/b][/p][p]The coaches clashed four times during Mourinho's first spell in charge, three of which he won, but Simeone's one victory came in the 2013 Copa del Rey final.[/p][p]If Madrid take the lead at the Metropolitano on Sunday Mourinho will hope his side can heed his warnings not to let Atletico back in.[/p][infobox id="14dacc89-3234-4d6e-b854-e74d05c9dce3" /]