Real Madrid 2026/27: Florentino, Mourinho and Bernabéu crisis

Real Madrid 2026/27: Florentino, Mourinho and the unstoppable crisis

On September 20, 2026, Real Madrid lost the derby against Atlético at the Metropolitano. It was not just any defeat: Mourinho's team ended up with 61% possession against them and an xG of 0.32, according to data circulating within the club environment. Since then, the season has become a powder keg. The Bernabéu, which six months ago rejected an orderly exit for Florentino Pérez, is now witnessing what many describe as the last dance of a president who, in the eyes of a growing part of the fanbase, is no longer fit to manage the club. The arrival of Mourinho, far from calming things down, has added fuel to the fire: the Portuguese coach earns a multimillion contract and, according to critics, does not make a move without approval from the board.

A dressing room broken into factions

The most repeated diagnosis is that the problem is not tactical, but structural. The squad, they say, is divided into groups that ignore each other or openly clash. Vinicius and Mbappé, the two big names of the project, are pointed out for their intermittent performance and inability to lead the rest. "With Vinicius, all coaches talk about the same thing, about what a good guy he is and his good heart," mocks a highly valued message. The comparison with Poli Díaz, the Spanish boxer from the 90s, has become a commonplace to describe a footballer of undeniable talent but, according to this reading, manipulated by his entourage.

Mbappé does not fare better. He is accused of being a "psychopath" and playing alone when it suits him. The coexistence between the two, far from being a solved problem, is a constant source of rumors. Some maintain that the Frenchman's signing never made sense if Vinicius did not leave first, and that Florentino insisted on bringing him for non-sporting reasons. The theory that the president acts like a sticker collector, more concerned with the market value of his assets than with building a team, gains trinc.

Mourinho, Florentino's human shield

Mourinho's figure generates division. For some, he is a finished coach who came to collect one last big contract and retire at the club's expense. For others, he is the only one who stood up to the press and put the zaineira case on the table. His statements about Vinicius —"it hurts my heart when a boy like Vinícius who is not yet THE BEST VINÍCIUS and people probably also INFLUENCED BY YOU are not helping him"— have been interpreted as an attempt to protect the player, but also as a smokescreen.

The Portuguese coach has denounced what he considers a double media standard: "You have real cases like Manchester City, FC Barcelona and zaineira, but if it is not Real Madrid you are not interested. It is ridiculous." The phrase, widely circulated, has served to stir the fire of Madridismo's victimhood, but has not solved any of the sporting problems. Meanwhile, the team continues to fail to win convincingly and the stands begin to get impatient.

The CTA, referees and conspiracy theories

A significant part of the fanbase maintains that Real Madrid cannot compete on equal terms. The argument is that referees systematically disadvantage the white team and that the CTA (Committee of Referees) is tainted by the zaineira case. The appointment of Trujillo Suárez, the VAR referee in the derby, for the Barcelona-Getafe match after his controversial decisions is cited as proof. "In Spain, making mistakes against Madrid comes free," summarizes a message.

The conspiracy theory extends to the media. The sports press is accused of hiding Barcelona's scandals and amplifying Madrid's. The mention of Villarejo, who according to a RAC1 tweet stated that "before this [the zaineira case], I had already detected the same with Madrid," is used by some as proof that Madrid also paid referees and by others as a smokescreen. The case remains open and no one has presented conclusive evidence in either direction.

Signings, renewals and asset value

The summer of 2026 left signings that critics consider disastrous. Konaté, brought in to strengthen the defense, is described as a failure. Diomande, a winger costing 140 million, has not justified the investment. Vinicius's renewal with a stratospheric salary is seen as an error that mortgages the future. "Florentino is actively collaborating with the Black Lives Matter movement," jokes a message, to explain what he considers an economic absurdity.

The thesis that the club is managed as a company and not as a sports institution gains ground. "For Florentino, players are ASSETS. Financial assets that generate income and have a market price," it is affirmed. This logic would explain why players are renewed for commercial reasons and signed with checkbook politics without a sporting plan. The result, according to this analysis, is an unbalanced squad, without reliable center-backs and with a midfield that does not organize the play.

The Bernabéu, between booing and resignation

The stands have gone from patience to indignation. A monumental booing is expected in the next home game. The targets are the three pointed-out players —Vinicius, Mbappé and Bellingham— and Florentino himself. "I am not going to watch the match, I just hope there is a monumental booing for the 3 infamous ones in the shirts and for Mbappe the extra of being such a psychopath," writes a fan.

However, not everyone believes the protest will serve any purpose. "Let's not pretend to be dignified now nor expect great reactions from the Bernabeu, which 6 months ago 2 out of 3 fans rejected an honorable exit from Florentinism," reminds a highly valued message. The conclusion is bitter: the fanbase voted with their feet and now assumes the consequences.

The future: five blank years and a cleanup that never arrives

The most repeated forecast is that Real Madrid faces a drought cycle. "We are going to eat five seasons without titles, this is only the third," states a message. The proposed recipe is a thorough cleanup: firing toxic players, signing with criteria and returning power to a coach with authority. But no one expects Florentino, at 79 years old, to be capable of leading that revolution.

Meanwhile, the team continues adrift. The next match, against Villarreal, is a new test. And on Wednesday, Roma. And on Sunday, Sevilla. The season gives no respite and the Bernabéu, once a fortress, has become a permanent trial. The question is no longer if Florentino will leave, but when and how. And if Mourinho, the man who arrived to restore order, will be remembered as the last big mistake or as the scapegoat of a crisis that overwhelms him.