Real Madrid 4-0 Malaga: Mourinho Reaches a Perfect Start in 2026

At the Bernabeu, the final whistle lingered in the air thick with the smell of grass. In the stands, Madrid fans hugged and sang Mourinho's name. My voice cracked like waves, not from sadness, but because a collective ritual had just been rewritten after only nine days. Real Madrid had just beaten Malaga 4-0 in La Liga, their third straight win after Espanyol and Real Sociedad. The royal club temporarily took top spot with a perfect nine points. Mourinho, who had taken the hot seat at the Bernabeu nine days earlier, reached the best start of his coaching career. Beyond the scoreline, how the four goals were created deserves attention. Bellingham left his mark on two goals, Mbappé scored with a clean finish, and Güler tapped in after a scramble in the box. Alexander-Arnold pushed forward and delivered a cross from the right, while Vinícius set up the attack. All came from open play, none from the penalty spot. Earlier, Rüdiger was whistled for a handball penalty, but VAR overturned the decision — a moment where technology spoke in the middle of a Madrid night. Based on my experience following matches, a team that changed coach only nine days ago rarely operates this smoothly. The attacking quartet of Bellingham, Mbappé, Vinícius and Güler moved constantly, switched positions and stretched the centre. Alexander-Arnold played like a silent conductor despite wearing a defender's shirt. Four goals from open play showed a choir finding its harmony, where no one sought personal glory. But I am not rushing into euphoria. People remember goals, yet I remember the moment Malaga's Rafa hit the post. If that shot had gone in, the story would have been different. Three wins over Espanyol, Real Sociedad and Malaga are not a real test. The reliance on Bellingham is a blind spot: if injury strikes, the whole attacking system could clog. Mourinho has a history of bright starts followed by collapse, so nine days is a beautiful number but too short. After 44 years chasing the ball, I finally realise I have been running toward people. A perfect start does not make me believe in trophies; it makes me want to watch how Real Madrid face the abyss. There are matches memorable not for goals, but for how we hold each other when everything falls apart. Tonight nothing has fallen apart, but the season is still very long. The question remains: when Barcelona come to the Bernabeu, will this choir keep its rhythm?