Jose Mourinho claims to be a much cooler character as he prepares for his first home game in charge of Real Madrid since 2013 against Real Sociedad on Wednesday night.
But the 63-year-old conceded his relaxed demeanour might not last if his latest group of Galacticos fail to bridge the eight-point gap that saw them finish second in last season's LaLiga behind rivals Barcelona.
Mourinho began his latest spell in charge with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Espanyol at the weekend and believes he has seen enough to keep his notorious temper at bay for the time being.
"For years now I've felt calmer, with more control over my emotions," said Mourinho, whose first spell had its most controversial moment when he poked then-Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova in the eye after a Spanish Super Cup tie in 2011.
"But we will have to face difficult and frustrating situations that will come, which haven't come yet because we won the first match and I haven't seen anyone slacking off yet.
"I like that people work for Real Madrid, not just at Real Madrid. So far, I haven't felt any laziness, I've seen that everyone wants to give their best.
"Maybe it's the players and the people who work here who are protecting me from the darker side of my personality. But I feel good this way."
Mourinho was in a magnanimous mood after the opening game, praising his opponents and even the referee, and was at pains to play down the importance of his own personal reappearance on the touchline at the Bernabeu.
"I don't want the Bernabeu to welcome me in a particular way, I want it to welcome the team as its team and its passion," Mourinho added.
"I think people have already got a feeling for the way the team is working, its commitment, and the will to do things right. That's the most important thing - I'm not important.
"At the Bernabeu, we hope for the support of our people. What I expect is for the players to have the same hunger to win the match, the same attitude, resilience, strength and calmness to face a difficult game.
"I hope the fans can look at the team and recognise this kind of mentality, and maybe this kind of mentality can make the Bernabeu even stronger."
Aurelien Tchouameni has dropped out of the Real Madrid squad for the match, while Mourinho has indicated his desire to act sparingly with the likes of Jude Bellingham who returned for pre-season having undergone lengthy World Cup campaigns.
Sociedad, who opened their new campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Real Betis on Friday, have named Goncalo Guedes in their squad for the first time since he was forced to pull out of Portugal's World Cup squad due to injury.
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