Jose Mourinho has praised the attitude inside the Real Madrid dressing room following his return to the Santiago Bernabeu, insisting he has inherited a squad that is united by a strong desire to win.
The Portuguese manager is back in charge of Los Blancos for a second spell, 13 years after his first tenure at the Spanish giants ended.
Mourinho's return comes after a turbulent previous campaign in which Real Madrid finished without a major trophy, while reports of disagreements and clashes among players added to concerns about the atmosphere within the squad.
The club also parted ways with Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa after both coaches struggled to get the desired results and manage the personalities within the dressing room.
However, Mourinho says he has encountered a completely different environment since taking charge.
According to the experienced manager, the current squad has been receptive to his ideas and has shown a level of discipline that has meant he has had little reason to adopt his more confrontational leadership style.
“I have found a dressing room that really wants to win. They are very open to common sense,” Mourinho said.
The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Inter Milan boss added that the players' conduct had been so impressive that they had not given him an opportunity to display the more aggressive side of his managerial personality.
“I haven’t had any chance to be the aggressive leader that I can be,” he said.
“They have protected me from this version of mine because the behaviour has been immaculate,” Mourinho added.
Mourinho Faces Immediate Test
Mourinho's comments will raise expectations ahead of his first competitive LaLiga fixture since returning to Madrid.
Real Madrid are scheduled to begin their league campaign away to Espanyol on Saturday, with Mourinho aiming to immediately restore a winning mentality at a club where success is measured by trophies.
The Portuguese coach's previous spell at Madrid, which ran from 2010 to 2013, produced a LaLiga title, a Copa del Rey triumph and a Spanish Super Cup.
His return therefore comes with significant expectations, particularly after a season in which Madrid's failure to win silverware was accompanied by questions over squad harmony and discipline.
Mourinho's early assessment suggests he believes those problems have been addressed.
Rather than inheriting a fractured dressing room, he says he has found players willing to listen, respond to “common sense” and work collectively towards the club's objectives.
A Different Madrid?
The manager's remarks also represent an early vote of confidence in the character of the squad.
Mourinho has built a reputation throughout his career as a demanding manager who is willing to confront players when standards drop. His admission that the current Madrid squad has not forced him to adopt that approach suggests he is satisfied with the team's attitude during the early stages of his second stint.
The real test, however, will come once competitive matches begin and pressure mounts.
With Real Madrid expected to challenge for domestic and European honours, Mourinho will need to maintain the discipline he has praised while translating the positive dressing-room atmosphere into performances and, ultimately, trophies.
For now, though, the manager appears convinced that the foundations are in place.
“I have found a dressing room that really wants to win,” Mourinho said — a message that will resonate strongly with Madrid supporters hoping the club can put last season's disappointment firmly behind it.