Real Madrid’s physical numbers in La Liga have raised eyebrows, but the most revealing statistic is not their total distance covered. Rather, it is the amount of high-intensity running they are producing.

According to MARCA , Mourinho’s side are bottom of La Liga for total distance, high-intensity distance and the number of high-intensity actions.

Yet their sprinting numbers tell a slightly different story, suggesting the issue is more about sustained intensity than an inability to accelerate.

Real Madrid average 104.3 kilometres per match, the lowest figure among the 20 teams in La Liga, which is significantly different from the 84km figure that has circulated elsewhere.

Total distance includes everything from walking and jogging to recovery runs and pressing movements, meaning the raw number does not tell the complete story.

Real Madrid need to work on their high-intensity actions. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

The more telling figures come at higher speeds. Madrid average 4,975.5 metres of high-intensity running per game, with 338.5 actions recorded at that pace. Surprisingly, both figures are also the lowest in the division.

High-intensity running is measured between 19.8 and 25.2 km/h, while sprints are recorded at speeds above 25.2 km/h.