New Real Madrid coach, Jose Mourinho, has insisted his team’s star players can play together ahead of Los Blancos’ opening La Liga game at Espanyol.

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Mourinho’s predecessors Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa struggled to strike a balance between attack and defence while lining up with Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.

Madrid won the Champions League in 2024 with England international Bellingham and Brazilian winger Vinicius playing key roles, but since French superstar Mbappe arrived that summer, the club have not lifted a major trophy.

“They are incredible players and incredible players want to play with incredible players,” Mourinho told reporters.

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“Tactically, it could be tricky. Ancelotti has found a set-up with Brazil perfect for Vini, (Didier) Deschamps has found one with France perfect for Kylian, (Thomas) Tuchel one perfect for Jude, it’s harder for Mourinho to do it for the three of them.

“We’re on it. I want the three, when all three play, to feel comfortable on the pitch… they are three players of great quality.

“They don’t play in incompatible positions. We will have a great season with them.”

However, Madrid’s stars can consider themselves warned — they must contribute in defence this season.

“If a team is pushing us back and giving us problems in our final third, we all have to defend.”

Mourinho said in his second spell at Real Madrid, after previously coaching the team between 2010 and 2013, he hoped his players would make life hard for him in terms of team selection.

📰 Source: Punch Nigeria