Mourinho's Defensive Shift and the Search for the Next Makélélé...La Liga analyzed

Real Madrid enters the upcoming season with heavy expectations, seeking to end a two-year drought without a major trophy.

In Tuesday’s La Liga press conference, which Beyond the 90’ was invited to participate in Carles Puyol and Steve McManaman broke down the current state of the league, Real Madrid’s tactical revamp under Jose Mourinho, and the shifting balance of power in Spanish football.

When analyzing Real Madrid’s modern challenges, McManaman drew direct comparisons to the historic “Galacticos” era. While that legendary squad boasted iconic attacking names like Raúl, Figo, Ronaldo, and Zinedine Zidane, McManaman emphasized that Claude Makélélé was the true catalyst for their success. As an incredible “number six,” Makélélé anchored the midfield and shielded a highly formidable defense.

According to McManaman, Makélélé was the most important player on the pitch for that squad. To illustrate this point, he recalled a famous quote from Zidane following Makélélé’s departure; Zidane likened selling the midfielder and buying another forward to “putting another layer of gold paint on a Bentley when you don’t have an engine”. Reflecting on locker room dynamics, McManaman added that while the original Galacticos were global superstars, they remained strictly professional. He cautioned that the current generation of Madrid stars must show greater maturity and set a strong example for the rest of the team.

Mourinho’s rise into the upper echelon of football managers ironically owed itself to the sale of Makélélé to Chelsea from Real Madrid.

Following a season where Real Madrid looked defensively vulnerable, manager Jose Mourinho is acutely aware of the issues he needs to fix. Mourinho has focused heavily on strengthening the backline, successfully bringing in three new defenders: Dumfries, Cucurella, and Konaté. Despite these defensive reinforcements, McManaman pointed out that Madrid still lacks a premier number six to bridge the midfield and stop the team from leaking goals.

The pressure on the manager is immense. McManaman stated that Mourinho must hit the ground running and is expected to win the league. However, Carles Puyol spoke highly of Mourinho’s managerial prowess and fondly recalled the intense El Clásico matches between Mourinho and Pep Guardiola, even while acknowledging the friction those games carried. If Mourinho can successfully integrate attacking talents like Vini Jr. and Kylian up front, McManaman believes the team will score plenty of goals.

Complicating Madrid’s tactical puzzle is the movement of key personnel to their direct rivals. McManaman praised Rodri as the best number six in the world and noted that his transfer from Manchester City to Barcelona is a massive development for the league. He views Rodri’s arrival, alongside Vinicius’s contract renewal at Real Madrid, as highly positive news for La Liga as a whole.

The press conference also touched on the broader league landscape. When discussing Atletico Madrid, both Puyol and McManaman agreed that the club has all the necessary tools to compete for titles. However, they noted that Atletico still lacks the consistency required to take the final step and overthrow the heavyweights.

Looking back at his own career, Puyol shared that his favorite El Clásico memory was Barcelona’s historic 2-6 victory in Real Madrid’s backyard. Because Madrid was only a few points behind in the table at the time, that commanding victory virtually secured the league title for Barcelona. Finally, addressing the modern globalization of the sport, Puyol commented on the prospect of playing official La Liga matches abroad. While he admitted it is difficult to strip a team of a home game, he appreciates that it gives international fans a chance to watch competitive fixtures. Ultimately, Puyol believes the initiative is acceptable as long as both the clubs and the players agree to it.

• Defensive Focus: Jose Mourinho has actively worked to reinforce Real Madrid’s defensively weak squad by signing Dumfries, Cucurella, and Konaté. He is under pressure to start strong and win the league title.

• The Makélélé Blueprint: Claude Makélélé was the crucial “engine” to the original Galacticos’ success, and the current Madrid team is notably missing a player of his profile to anchor the midfield.

• A Maturing Squad: While the new Galacticos boast immense talent with players like Vini Jr. and Kylian, they must mature and lead by example to emulate the professionalism of past eras.

• Rival Moves: Rodri, widely considered the best number six in the world, is departing Manchester City to join Barcelona.

• League Expansion: Playing La Liga games internationally remains a divisive but possible future, provided it gains the consent of clubs and players.