Former Real Madrid star gives vote of confidence to Mourinho: ‘Everything is magnified’ | OneFootball

It is no secret that things are not going well at Real Madrid. The team is already staring at problems that have haunted them in the past two years, including a dysfunctional dressing room.

New coach Jose Mourinho has not been able to steady the ship just yet and is yet to bring out the best in certain individuals, including Vinicius Jr., who looks like a shadow of his former self.

Despite so much pessimism, former footballer Fernando Morientes remains hopeful that Real Madrid will come back and has given his vote of confidence to Mourinho.

Morientes backs Mourinho

The former striker urged patience, pointing to Mourinho’s history of turning things around after slow starts.

Can Mourinho turn things around? (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

“The players would give Mourinho some leeway. I’ve seen Real Madrid write him off in November many times, then they bounce back and end up winning the Champions League,” he said (h/t Defensa Central).

He acknowledged the intense scrutiny that comes with the club, but remained confident the team will click into gear.

“Everything is magnified, for better or for worse,” he said, while backing them to eventually compete for major honours, including the Champions League.

The international break a blessing

Morientes also believes the timing of the international break could work in Real Madrid’s favour, despite arriving on the back of a derby defeat.

He described it as “fantastic” for the club and “a welcome relief,” allowing Mourinho to work with the players who remain at Valdebebas.

The former striker feels the break will help the squad “clear their heads and return with a renewed mindset, as this time will provide a bit of a boost.”

Morientes believes Real Madrid’s problems have been magnified. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

For Morientes, the biggest challenge for Mourinho is getting his players to block out the criticism and whistles they have faced.

He pointed to Carlos Espi’s late goals against Espanyol and Elche as evidence the team believes until the very end, though he admitted that fighting spirit was missing in the derby.

The comments come amid wider concerns at the club, with reports even suggesting some players are out of shape.

Nonetheless, Morientes insists this Real Madrid side remains very much alive and capable of lifting the Champions League, provided they rediscover their belief and break free from their current negative spiral.