Former Real Madrid striker Poli Rincon has questioned Jose Mourinho’s early tactical decisions during the 2026/27 campaign, arguing that the Portuguese coach made several errors before eventually adjusting his approach. Although Rincon acknowledged the manager’s recent improvements, he believes the necessary changes should have been introduced much earlier in the season.

According to a report by Madrid Universal on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Rincon was particularly critical of Mourinho’s initial midfield selections and his reluctance to deploy Bernardo Silva in a central role. He also questioned the decision to regularly pair Federico Valverde with Aurelien Tchouameni in the middle of the pitch.

Speaking on Ruben Martin’s YouTube channel, the former Madrid forward suggested that Mourinho only turned to Bernardo in central midfield because his available options left him with little alternative during El Clasico.

"Jose Mourinho didn't want to play Bernardo Silva in central midfield, and he ended up using that lineup in El Clasico because he had no other choice," Rincon said.

He nevertheless recognised that Mourinho eventually identified the problems and made adjustments to address them. However, Rincon maintained that the manager had wasted valuable time by persisting with a formation and personnel combination that he believed was unsuitable.

"The best thing the coach has done is correct his mistakes, because he got things wrong in the opening matches of the season," he added.

Rincon also expressed doubts about Vinicius Junior’s regular inclusion in the starting eleven. In his assessment, the Brazilian winger should not have been guaranteed a place in the team, particularly when other players could offer different qualities and improve the overall balance of the side.

He extended his criticism to the partnership between Valverde and Tchouameni, arguing that the combination lacked the technical qualities required to control matches effectively. The former striker believes Madrid needed a different midfield structure rather than relying so heavily on two players in the double pivot.

"The manager made many mistakes from the beginning of the season until he realised the reality: Vinicius cannot be a starter, and Fede Valverde and Tchouameni cannot play together in the double pivot," he explained.

Rincon further argued that Mourinho should have made changes to his attacking selections from the beginning of the campaign. He suggested that Vinicius should have been dropped in favour of Diomande, while Carlos Espi could also have been given opportunities to contribute to the team's forward play.

"Jose Mourinho has players capable of playing football, not just defending and sitting deep. He should have dropped Vinicius and played Diomande from the beginning. And if he also plays Carlos Espi, even better," he stated.

Despite the criticism, Mourinho’s recent decisions appear to have produced a positive response on the pitch. The manager has repositioned Valverde at right-back while bringing Bernardo Silva into the central midfield, creating a different balance between defensive organisation and attacking creativity.

Madrid’s recovery from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Roma 4-3 marked an important moment in their campaign. Their subsequent 2-1 away victory over Barcelona at the Spotify Camp Nou provided further evidence of the improvement.

Mourinho has now overseen six consecutive victories, suggesting that his tactical adjustments are delivering encouraging results. While Rincon remains critical of the decisions made earlier in the season, the team's recent performances indicate that the manager's revised approach is beginning to take effect.