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Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid have begun the 2026/27 campaign on a strong note, even if they are not yet a flawless machine.

At times, they blow teams away and score freely, while in other phases they ease off and lose some of their edge.

Against Rayo Vallecano, for instance, they delivered 45 excellent minutes before going through another 25 under heavier pressure and with reduced intensity.

Their most recent win over Rayo this past weekend took them to 16 goals in six matches in all competitions — a mark they have reached only three times in the last decade, according to AS.

The last Real Madrid side to do better at this stage was the 2016/17 team, which had managed 17 goals.

Even more notably, the last time Real Madrid opened a season with a comparable scoring rhythm at home was in 2011/12, during Mourinho’s first spell at the club. That side had scored 15 goals in its first six home games.

That was the famous La Liga season in which records fell, with Real Madrid finishing on 100 points and 121 goals.

Real Madrid have scored 16 goals this season.

The present squad is keeping up with that rate, although Mourinho is aware that a bright opening counts for little if it does not end with trophies. Even so, these early results are better than those posted by that iconic team.

The 2011/12 season started with a draw against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup, followed by a 1-0 loss to Levante.

This time around, Real Madrid have won five of their six matches, with the only blemish being a 1-0 defeat to Real Betis.

That loss was shaped in large part by goalkeeper Alvaro Valles’ outstanding display and by Los Blancos failing to convert their opportunities, especially Kylian Mbappe’s late penalty, which might have earned them a point.

However, one issue that cannot be overlooked is that Real Madrid have not been clinical enough in front of goal.

Real Madrid generated 3.16 xG against Real Betis and still did not score, while their overall xG numbers underline just how many chances they have been letting go.

Data supplied by BeSoccer Pro to AS shows that Real Madrid have by far the worst xG balance in La Liga.

Mourinho is not worried about the missed chances.

They have scored 14 league goals but, based on the quality of the opportunities created, they should have added another 5.92.

Put another way, Real Madrid could already have been closing in on 20 league goals had their finishing reflected the volume and quality of chances they have produced.

The comparison with Barcelona is especially eye-catching. Hansi Flick’s team have scored 21 goals from 96 shots, 42 of them on target, whereas Mourinho’s side have required 104 shots and 46 efforts on target to score seven fewer goals.

That leaves Real Madrid with a conversion rate of 13.5%, compared with 21.9% for Barcelona.

For Mourinho, though, those numbers are more reassuring than alarming.

“We’re scoring a lot, but we’re also missing so many chances,” he said after the 4-1 victory over Rayo.

“I told my people that one day a team will pay for all those missed chances. One day we’re going to score six or seven.”

The Portuguese views the finishing issues as a temporary problem rather than something that should become a major worry.

According to the report, his message is straightforward: more composure, more patience and more calmness in front of goal.