{
  "id": 6555178,
  "title": "Real Madrid icon warns club over La Liga chances and identifies major weakness: ‘They offer no guarantees’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/real-madrid-icon-warns-club-over-la-liga-chances-and-identifies-major",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-10T07:20:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/real-madrid-icon-warns-club-072000490.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Real Madrid player and director of football Pedja Mijatovic has expressed concerns over the club's chances in La Liga and identified a major weakness in their squad. Despite starting Mourinho's reign with a Champions League victory, Mijatovic believes the team still has much to prove before being considered a serious contender in Spain's top flight. During the Champions League match against Inter Milan, which Real Madrid won 2-1, the Santiago Bernabeu crowd booed some players, indicating their frustration. Mijatovic attributes this reaction to fans' discontent over the team's lack of trophy wins in recent years, which can easily lead to booing. He acknowledged that the current squad does not provide guarantees of winning La Liga, but emphasized that the players must continue their work despite the fans' disapproval. Mijatovic also highlighted certain players whose actions have angered the supporters and stressed the need for patience as Mourinho's influence takes hold. He observed early signs of the Portuguese manager's impact, such as increased organization and discipline on the pitch, but warned against premature judgments. The former Real Madrid striker pointed to the squad's lack of creativity in midfield as the club's biggest weakness, suggesting that Bernardo Silva could potentially fill this role. However, he urged the club to make the most of the players already available and emphasized the importance of faith in them, rather than lamenting over those who have left.",
  "summary": "Real Madrid may have started Jose Mourinho’s reign with a Champions League victory, but player and director of football Pedja Mijatovic believes the team still has plenty to prove before it can be c...",
  "key_points": [
    "Former Real Madrid player Pedja Mijatovic warns club over La Liga chances.",
    "Identifies major weakness: squad lacks creativity in midfield.",
    "Urges patience for Mourinho's influence to take hold."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/6555178.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Real Madrid schedule contract renewal talks with 34-year-old veteran superstar",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/real-madrid-schedule-contract-renewal-talks-with-34-year-old-veteran",
        "published": "2026-09-10T06:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC Sport Football",
        "title": "Chelsea and Real Madrid keen on Arsenal's Zubimendi - Friday's gossip",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/chelsea-and-real-madrid-keen-on-arsenals-zubimendi-fridays-gossip",
        "published": "2026-09-10T20:13:27.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}