Scott McTominay hasn't shut the door on Real Madrid. Asked directly whether he'd consider a move if Mourinho came calling, the Napoli midfielder didn't hesitate: "If Mourinho called me about Real Madrid, honestly, I'd think about it." That's not a transfer request — but it's not nothing, either.
There's history there. Mourinho handed McTominay real responsibility at Manchester United, and players don't forget that. Whether Madrid actually pursue him is a separate question entirely, and right now there's no indication they will. But the willingness is on the record.
Lewandowski's warning to Barça
Robert Lewandowski offered an opinion from across the Clásico divide that Barça fans probably didn't love hearing. "Real Madrid is now stronger with the new signings and with José," he told AS. "After two years without winning anything, their mentality is important and they can be very strong this season."
He added "but I'm always with Barcelona" — which felt more like a disclaimer than a counterargument. Coming from the man who has to beat Madrid all season, that's a candid read of the competitive landscape. Madrid's title odds look well-founded when even their rivals' striker is making the case for them.
Mourinho has them organized early, and Daniel 'Toro' Aquino — who scored in a famous Betis win at the Bernabéu in 1995 — echoed the sentiment ahead of Friday's trip to Seville: "It seems Mourinho brought order to the team since his arrival." He was quick to add that Betis won't roll over at La Cartuja, whatever the 5-2 Levante result suggested. "The fans create a lot of pressure; it's contagious, and the opposition feels the atmosphere."
Diomande settles in; Mbappé situation more serious
Yan Diomande gave a lengthy interview tracing his path from playing on whatever surface he could find in Abidjan, through DME Academy in Florida, to winning the Bundesliga Rookie of the Year at RB Leipzig, and now to the Bernabéu. "In every session, the bar is set so high that you have no choice but to raise your own level," the 19-year-old said. Fernando Morientes, speaking at a La Liga event, put it plainly: "When a club pays what Real Madrid has paid for him, obviously Real Madrid is absolutely certain he's going to perform."
The more unsettling story involves Kylian Mbappé. According to Le Parisien, French investigators charged an 18-year-old with organized gang robbery after seizing phones that contained the addresses of 26 potential targets — footballers, musicians, wealthy businesspeople. Mbappé was among them, with an alleged plan to rob him during visits to Paris. The investigation began after an attempted home invasion involving a watchmaker in Neuilly-sur-Seine and a subsequent robbery netting 11 luxury watches worth around €150,000. Investigators linked suspects through fingerprints left on a package. There is no indication any attempt against Mbappé was carried out.
- Sergio Martínez, signed from Racing for around €3 million on August 31, trained with the first team. He's expected to play for Castilla but Mourinho will keep tabs on him directly.
- Tchouaméni, Asencio, Mendy, Militão, Rodrygo, Endrick and Thiago all continued individual recovery. None are expected to feature against Betis on Friday.
- Former Madrid striker Fernando Morientes recalled signing for Monaco in 2003 mid-match: "I played five or ten minutes against Betis, and an hour and a half later I was catching a flight to Monaco. When I went onto the pitch, I didn't even know Monaco had called me."
"If Mbappé continues at his current level, they'll have more options," Aquino said. Right now, keeping him safe off the pitch matters as much as anything he does on it.
