Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho acknowledged his team’s ongoing struggles to control matches ahead of Sunday’s La Liga derby against Atletico Madrid in Madrid. Entering the fixture, which marks the first significant test of Mourinho’s second tenure at the club, Real has displayed a high-tempo attacking style that the coach described as “frenetic,” but he admitted the side often fails to close out games effectively.

Real Madrid sits second in the league table, trailing undefeated champions Barcelona by three points. The team has recorded five wins and one loss in its opening six matches, while Atletico holds third place. Despite their strong attack, Los Blancos have relied on late goals from backup striker Carlos Espi to secure wins against Espanyol and Elche, underscoring the difficulty they face in maintaining control throughout matches.

“The problem seems obvious to me,” Mourinho said. “There are matches that seem over and, in the end, aren’t. We have three, four, five chances to finish them and don’t. After failing to do so, it feels like we go from ease, because it seemed easy, to losing control.” He emphasized that defensive vulnerabilities constitute a concern not only for the derby but for all future games. “I like my team to score goals … but I also like controlling matches. I don’t like gifting control. It’s not about the goals, it’s about giving away control of the match.”

Atletico Madrid, known for their tactical discipline under coach Diego Simeone, will seek to capitalize on any disorganization from their city rivals. Simeone’s side will pose a stern challenge to Real’s attacking style, which is spearheaded by their star trio of Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe, and Jude Bellingham. Mourinho noted that this lineup tends to accelerate the game’s tempo whenever possession is regained, a dynamic that can expose Real’s defense.

Bernardo Silva, rested in the midweek win over Elche, is expected to return to the starting lineup, potentially helping Real exert greater control in the derby. However, despite a lavish summer transfer spending spree, Mourinho conceded that his squad is not ideally built for game management.

Real’s Vinicius Junior has faced criticism both from rival fans and his own supporters amid a recent drought in goals. He, along with Mbappe and defender Ibrahima Konate, was also involved in a recent controversy for not fully wearing a T-shirt supporting the people of Ceuta, which may increase hostility in Atletico’s stadium.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in La Liga, Elche earned a 3-1 victory over Espanyol despite playing the majority of the match with ten men after Federico Redondo was sent off early. Fer Nino scored twice, with German Valera adding another goal. Espanyol’s sole goal came from an own goal by Real Madrid defender Victor Chust. This result lifted Elche off the bottom of the table, positioning them fourteenth, while Espanyol dropped to ninth.