Real Madrid News
No more Bellingham vs Guler dilemma: Jose Mourinho finds a solution to fit Real Madrid duo together
For much of the summer, the question surrounding Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler appeared quite simple: could both players fit into the same Real Madrid starting XI?
As such, Jose Mourinho’s first La Liga line-up may have provided the answer.
Bellingham and Guler started together against Espanyol, and Real Madrid’s opening goal offered a small but telling glimpse of how the Portuguese manager sees the pair.
Guler delivered the free-kick, Bellingham attacked the space and finished the move.
Now, according to Defensa Central, Mourinho has reached a conclusion about the roles of the two players.
Mourinho’s Espanyol selection was a statement
As per the outlet, Bellingham is seen as the attacking midfielder, but Guler is not expected to become a substitute because of that decision.
Instead, the Turkish star could operate from the right or move into central areas depending on how the game develops.
Simply put, Mourinho does not appear to see a Bellingham-or-Guler problem. He sees a way to use both.
With Bellingham and Guler both included from the start, many expected one to be asked to sacrifice his natural game. However, that did not happen.
Bellingham was given the freedom to play as Real Madrid’s most advanced midfielder, moving between the lines and getting into the penalty area whenever opportunities opened up.
Guler, on the other hand, began on the right, but his role was far from that of a traditional winger. He regularly moved inside, looking for the ball and helping Madrid build attacks through the middle.
Guler could be a key part of Mourinho’s plans
Against Espanyol, Guler continued to show why he is highly valued within the Real Madrid squad, even though he was replaced in the 64th minute.
Interestingly, Mourinho believes Guler can play both on the right and through the middle, a flexibility that is crucial to the manager’s thinking.
Rather than being fixed to one position, Guler can offer Real Madrid another player capable of controlling possession and creating chances between the lines.
From the right, he can drift inside and combine with Bellingham, while in central areas, he can help Madrid maintain control when games become stretched.
Hence, the immediate result is that Bellingham’s role as an attacking midfielder does not automatically close the door on Guler.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. admits finishing problem after another frustrating night vs Elche: ‘Can’t miss that much’
Vinicius Jr.’s difficult start in front of goal continued against Elche, and the Real Madrid forward did not need anyone to tell him he had missed another chance to make the difference.
The Brazilian finished the night without a goal despite having chances to get on the scoresheet, while his teammates could only watch from the bench as opportunities went begging.
Jose Mourinho had already identified the problem before kick-off, bluntly pointing to the issue facing his forward, stating, “He’s missing the goal.”
Vini offered an equally frank assessment afterwards.
Rather than hide from another frustrating evening, he accepted responsibility on social media: “The goals will come back; I can’t miss that much…”
Two chances, no finish for Vinicius
Vinicius had two particularly clear openings against Elche, but neither produced the finish Real Madrid needed from their star forward.
The first arrived when he found himself one-on-one with the opposition goalkeeper.
Instead of finding the net, Vinicius caught the ball with the tip of his foot and sent his effort wide. Arda Guler was available during the move and called for the ball, but Vini backed himself to finish the chance.
He had another opportunity after the interval, this time following an excellent pass from Guler during a quick Real Madrid transition. Again, though, Vinicius could not find the target.
His evening ended in the 68th minute, with Mourinho deciding the Brazilian was tired and turning his attention towards Sunday’s Atletico Madrid derby.
Mourinho has a bigger decision to make
The numbers show why Vinicius’ finishing has become a talking point. He managed five shots against Elche, but only one was on target and none found the net.
After seven appearances this season, the Brazilian has scored just once, which is a striking return for a player Real Madrid rely upon to provide a major share of their attacking threat.
Ultimately, though, Real Madrid found another route to victory, with Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe and Carlos Espi providing the goals in the 3-2 comeback.
