José Mourinho is sending a clear message to the Real Madrid dressing room at the start of the season: everyone will have opportunities, but nobody can afford to relax.

The Portuguese manager has made extensive use of his squad and demonstrated that the pecking order can change from one match to the next. The players know they will get minutes and opportunities to prove themselves, but they also understand that they must take advantage of them, with the competition within the squad allowing Mourinho to regularly rotate his starting lineup.

Another message has become increasingly important after the team's recent matches. Real Madrid are creating enough chances to win certain games comfortably, but their lack of clinical finishing is turning seemingly controlled matches into complicated affairs.

That was once again the case against Elche. Mourinho's side had several opportunities to extend their lead but ultimately had to suffer until the final whistle to secure a 3-2 victory. The coach wants his team to be capable of killing games when the opportunity is there and avoiding unnecessary physical and mental demands during what promises to be a demanding season.

That message has already reached the players. The depth of the squad allows Mourinho to distribute the workload and keep almost everyone involved, but having opportunities does not mean having the freedom to waste them.

The Portuguese manager wants internal competition, hunger and, above all, decisiveness when Real Madrid are in control. He is willing to give everyone playing time, but he also expects the team to learn a fundamental lesson: matches that can be decided early cannot continually turn into tense finales.

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