The upcoming international break will be the first of the 2026-27 season. This time, the usual September break will be combined with the October international window, meaning international football will run from September 21 to October 6. During this period, national teams will play four matches instead of the usual two.
As a result, major clubs such as Real Madrid will have to train and prepare for an extended period without several key players. Speaking at a press conference ahead of Sunday's La Liga clash against Malaga, Mourinho said: “The international break worries me. It is too long.”
Mourinho is less concerned about players who are expected to feature regularly for their national teams. “The players who go away with their national teams and play do not worry me too much. I am more concerned about those who get called up but do not play much,” he said.
The Real Madrid boss also admitted that he was frustrated by not having his full squad available for training. “Let’s see how we manage the situation and how we work with the players who remain here. But not having the players at my disposal for three weeks is a difficult situation,” Mourinho said.
The increased risk of injuries during such a lengthy break is Mourinho's biggest concern. “I fully respect the players’ decisions and I don't want to make the situation more dramatic than it is. But we often see players getting injured during international breaks or after returning to their clubs. That is why it worries me. However, this is how things are, and there is not much we can do about it,” the Real Madrid coach explained.
Mourinho also revealed that Real Madrid are working to reduce the risk of injuries by carefully managing the players’ workload and the number of matches they play.
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