Three-week international break a concern - Mourinho

Retold by Oddsrama · 29 August 2026

Jose Mourinho has fired a warning about the extended international break scheduled for late September and early October, expressing genuine worry about how the disruption will affect Real Madrid's rhythm and injury management. The Portuguese tactician pointed out that the three-week absence of his squad during what is now a consolidated international window goes beyond the usual frustration of fixture congestion—it's about players being sidelined while away from the club.

What really bothers Mourinho, though, is the fate of fringe players who get called up to their national teams but see limited or no actual playing time. "Players who will join their national teams to play don't worry me as much," he explained before Madrid's La Liga clash with Malaga. "It's the ones who join the national teams and are not really involved that concern me." The restructuring means nations now get four matches in that window instead of two, but the burden lands squarely on club managers trying to keep their squads fit and sharp.

With World Cup winners and runners-up like Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, and Vinicius Jr still recovering from a grueling summer, Madrid faces an extra challenge managing workload during the break. Mourinho acknowledged that injuries often spike around these stoppages, and players frequently return under-cooked. While he respects the decisions driving FIFA's new calendar—including pushing the 2026 World Cup final to July—he made clear that losing his players for three consecutive weeks creates a tough situation for any manager trying to build momentum in the league.

Based on original reporting by BBC Football. Read the original at bbc.co.uk →

#Real Madrid#Jose Mourinho#International Break

Three-week international break a concern - Mourinho

Related stories