El Clásico changed the face of Real Madrid. The question heading into Sunday’s game in Santander was whether José Mourinho’s team would relax and abandon the intensity and collective discipline it had shown at Camp Nou. This was a different kind of challenge, one without the same spotlight, and there had been enough warning signs in the past to justify some suspicion. But Madrid’s approach from the opening whistle confirmed that the players finally seem to understand what is expected of them. They swept aside Racing with an overwhelming display of authority. That’s what happens when you play as a team.

There can be little debate about the transformative effect of making Bernardo Silva and Arda Güler permanent fixtures in the starting lineup. Bringing together two players so comfortable on the ball has given Madrid a level of sophistication in possession that was previously missing. They make it easier to play out from the back, link the different phases of possession and bring the team’s transitions to life. Mourinho has abandoned, or at least put on hold, his original vision, which favored defensive solidity over creative expression. His players have responded in the best possible way.

Madrid have undergone two transformations: one with the ball and another without it. They now look like a balanced, cohesive unit, supported by a change in individual attitudes that has put an end to the reluctance to do the hard work. Where Madrid previously defended with two fewer players, sometimes even three, everyone is now contributing. Jude Bellingham and Yan Diomande are just as impressive defensively as they are going forward. And that’s saying something. The Englishman works tirelessly to get back into position, supports Aurélien Tchouaméni and Bernardo Silva, and uses his physical presence to keep the team’s lines connected. Diomande, meanwhile, tracks back to cover Marc Cucurella and provides the defensive balance that keeps the left flank secure. Most importantly, he does it whether the score is close or Madrid are comfortably ahead. It’s proof that Diomande has fully absorbed what his role requires.

There is also a starting lineup that looks increasingly likely to become Mourinho’s established first choice. With Thibaut Courtois back in goal, Trent Alexander-Arnold was the only change from the team that beat Barcelona, replacing the injured Fede Valverde. It seemed like a vote of confidence in the English right back after Mourinho had turned to Denzel Dumfries during the second half of El Clásico. The game suited Alexander-Arnold because of Racing’s attacking approach, which bordered on the suicidal. José Alberto makes no attempt to disguise his intentions and has refused to compromise the adventurous style that brought his team back to LaLiga. The problem is that the step up in quality is enormous. Opponents are vastly more talented, and Racing must be careful not to allow their defensive weaknesses to become a chronic problem. Mbappé made that abundantly clear.

Madrid are also benefiting from the growing understanding between Ibrahima Konaté and Dean Huijsen. They faced a difficult assignment against Yassir Zabiri, one of the best strikers in LaLiga when it comes to movement off the ball. His runs between center backs and into the channels are textbook examples of how a forward should operate. But despite a few scares in the second half, Madrid’s two defenders handled the challenge with composure and responsibility. They remained alert and worked well together against a Racing side in which Iñigo Vicente failed to exert his usual influence and Canales repeatedly made the wrong decisions.

In terms of overall quality, Madrid overwhelmed Racing, although they became far too complacent after halftime. The scoreline lulled them into a false sense of security, and for a while the performance brought back memories of problems that had surfaced all too recently. It should serve as a reminder that Madrid can never afford to neglect the basics and that they are invariably better off keeping possession than allowing their opponents to have the ball. In the end, Racing’s attempted comeback amounted to little more than a brief flicker of resistance before Madrid recovered their composure and returned to the right path.

A devastating attack from Real Madrid

Mbappé holds up the ball and lays off Huijsen’s pass. Aarón is too far away from Güler, while Bellingham’s run from deep, with Pablo Ramón caught out of position, becomes impossible to stop.

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