Real Madrid have found another gear under Jose Mourinho, with the Portuguese manager beginning to deliver results during his second spell in the Spanish capital.
The Portuguese manager has had to integrate several summer arrivals and establish the right balance within his squad, but recent performances suggest his players are increasingly adapting to his methods.
Eight consecutive victories across all competitions have transformed the mood around the Bernabeu, with their latest result a convincing 3-0 victory over Valencia at Mestalla.
Mourinho has now achieved a significant milestone in Spanish football, surpassing Pep Guardiola to become the La Liga manager with the highest winning percentage among those to have managed at least 100 matches.
Mourinho overtakes Guardiola in La Liga win-rate rankings
Mourinho now holds the highest winning percentage in La Liga history among managers with at least 100 matches in the competition, moving ahead of former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola.
Across his two spells at Los Blancos, the Portuguese has won 97 of his 126 La Liga matches, giving him a win rate of 77%.
According to Opta, that gives the 63-year-old a winning percentage of approximately 77%, narrowly ahead of Guardiola's 76.3% during his time at Barcelona.
The ranking provides another chapter in the rivalry between the two managers, who regularly competed against each other during Mourinho's first spell in the Spanish capital.
Carlo Ancelotti is third on the list with a 71.1% winning percentage, while former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez occupies fourth place with 69.6%.
Zinedine Zidane completes the top five, having recorded a 67.8% win rate during his time in charge of Madrid.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has an even higher win rate of 79.3%, but remains ineligible for the ranking because he has managed only 87 La Liga matches.
Mourinho's position is particularly impressive given the calibre of managers he has moved ahead of, with his latest achievement highlighting the consistency of his previous and current spells in Spain.
Real Madrid's winning streak gathers pace under Mourinho
The milestone comes after Mourinho's second appointment at Madrid initially proved challenging.
A number of summer signings needed time to settle, while the manager worked to establish a more cohesive team capable of competing across multiple competitions.
However, the results have improved considerably since the first international break.
Madrid have now won eight successive matches in all competitions, scoring 24 goals during that run. Their attacking output has been accompanied by greater defensive commitment, with Mourinho demanding more work from his forwards when the team are without possession.
The Portuguese coach has increasingly focused on building a collective identity rather than relying solely on the individual quality within his squad.
That approach is beginning to produce results, with Madrid looking more organised and confident as their winning streak continues.
Mourinho previously guided Madrid to the 2011/12 La Liga title, finishing the campaign with a then-record 100 points and ending Barcelona's run of three consecutive league titles.
He now faces another challenge against the Catalan club, with Flick having guided Barcelona to the previous two league titles.
Madrid's recent resurgence has given Mourinho renewed momentum, but maintaining that form after the international break will be crucial.
His latest statistical achievement is already a significant milestone. The bigger question is whether he can turn that impressive start into another title-winning campaign at the Bernabeu.
