Bernardo Silva and José Mourinho have signaled a bold new era at Real Madrid, with the Portuguese star declaring that playing for the 15-time European champions "is not for everyone" while his returning manager framed his second spell at the Bernabéu as a personal "mission."
Silva, 31-years old, who joined from Manchester City at the end of his contract this summer, said he was proud to join the world's most successful club on Wednesday.
"I've already played quite a few times at the Bernabeu," Silva told club TV channel Real Madrid TV.
When you arrive and see the 15 Uefa Champions League titles they display there, it's very imposing, and having them here is very special. Playing for a club that has 15 Champions League titles is not for everyone, so I'm very proud and now I'll give everything for this club."
Silva's former City teammate Rodri joined Madrid's rivals Barcelona on Tuesday. The Spanish midfielder had been linked with Real Madrid and new Los Blancos coach Mourinho said he had spoken with Rodri earlier in the summer.
"I spoke with him a couple of times, and we made him a very good offer," Mourinho told Spanish TV show El Chiringuito this week.
"Rodri had doubts, and the doubts of Rodri created doubts for me. He's an extraordinary player and was very professional with us, nothing negative to say. But Real Madrid is a club of a stature that can't have players who think twice about it."
Mourinho, meanwhile, was officially presented as the new coach of the club at a private ceremony at the club's Valdebebas training ground on Tuesday.
"This is like coming home," Mourinho said in comments published on the Real Madrid website.
The Portuguese coach's first spell between 2010 and 2013 saw the club win one La Liga title, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup, but Mourinho insisted his return was now "a more emotional and heartfelt experience."
"It's like a mission," he said.
"It's not about being worried about myself or whether I'm going to earn a lot or a little. I'm here to help everyone be better: players and staff; (and) to create a culture of work, responsibility, ambition, and something I know well, which is the responsibility and honour of working for Real Madrid."
Real kick off their new La Liga season at home to Espanyol on Saturday.
With many of Real Madrid's first-team players, such as Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé, still away following the Fifa World Cup 2026, Mourinho has not been able to train with the full squad for some time. However, he told Real Madrid TV that work had begun long before Monday's opening session.
"It's not like I arrived here today and everything starts now. We've been working hard for a long time with the club's structure at different levels," he explained.
"Obviously, I would like to have all the players here, but you have to look at it positively. It's about getting to know the boys I'll be working with and giving them the opportunity to get to know me," explained Mourinho. | AFP and IANS