Real Madrid News
Real Madrid boss Mourinho completely rules out playing 23-year-old at left-back – report
Jose Mourinho has made a clear decision regarding Eduardo Camavinga’s role at Real Madrid, with the Portuguese manager unwilling to use the Frenchman as a left-back.
According to Defensa Central, Mourinho sees Camavinga strictly as a midfielder and plans to use him as an alternative to Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde during the 2026/27 season.
The decision could finally bring an end to the positional uncertainty that has followed Camavinga throughout his Real Madrid career.
The French international has regularly been pushed into the left-back position in previous seasons whenever injuries or squad problems left the team short of options.
Under Mourinho, however, that is set to change.
The Real Madrid manager does not want Camavinga spending time adapting to another position and would only consider using him at left-back in an extreme emergency.
Mourinho sees Camavinga as midfield cover
Mourinho currently considers the Real Madrid squad complete and is working with the players already available to him.
That also means Camavinga is expected to remain at the club despite previous suggestions that Real Madrid could consider selling him.
The Portuguese coach is counting on the French midfielder and sees him as an important option for the season ahead.
Rather than using him across multiple positions, Mourinho wants to keep his role simple.
Camavinga will provide competition and rotation in central midfield, primarily acting as cover for Tchouameni and Valverde.
As per the outlet, Camavinga could often be used from the bench and given opportunities to rotate with the first-choice midfielders, as Mourinho does not want him playing out of position.
The manager believes that constantly learning the demands of different roles could distract the player from fully developing his game in midfield.
Cucurella signing gives Real Madrid more options
Real Madrid’s summer business has also made Mourinho’s decision easier.
The arrival of Marc Cucurella has strengthened a position that had caused the club problems in previous seasons.
His signing means Mourinho has a specialist left-back available rather than needing to turn to a midfielder for cover.
Furthermore, Alvaro Carreras is also available, while Ferland Mendy is expected to return once he recovers.
Lastly, Real Madrid also tested Lamini Fati during pre-season and could look towards another academy player if further depth is required.
Hence, with several alternatives available, there should be little reason to move Camavinga back to defence.
Real Madrid’s adventure so far under new coach Jose Mourinho has been far from perfect and this fact shouldn’t be lost even after the team’s brilliant comeback win over AS Roma in midweek.
However, there are areas where Los Blancos have shown a clear improvement under Mourinho, when compared to previous bosses such as Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
One of those areas has been set plays, with Real Madrid appearing far more potent from set pieces this season.
A clear improvement from last season
As reported by Diario AS, the three goals in Rome, all from Arda Guler corners inside a seven-minute blitz, were the perfect advert for the work being done at Valdebebas.
Those strikes took Real Madrid’s set-piece tally to seven goals in just ten matches this season. Four of them have come in La Liga, one from a corner and three from free kicks, with the trio in Rome completing the haul.
It is a striking figure when set against last season’s return. Under Alonso and Arbeloa, Madrid managed 12 set-piece goals across the entire campaign, all in La Liga, split evenly between six from corners and six from free kicks.
On current trends, this side looks well placed to surpass that number comfortably.
The reason behind Real Madrid’s improvement
Attacking set pieces are led at Valdebebas by Pedro Machado, with the whole coaching staff involved and Mourinho himself giving the final green light on every routine.
Defending them, meanwhile, falls to Sami Khedira, though it is treated as a collective effort. Mourinho’s appreciation of that teamwork was clear when Bellingham headed in a Guler free kick against Espanyol, prompting the manager to leap up and embrace his assistants.
Machado, one of Mourinho’s most trusted lieutenants, has followed him from Fenerbahce to Benfica and now Madrid, part of a backroom team blending experience with young, ambitious talent.
On the pitch, Guler is the undisputed master when available, his left foot the key weapon, with Bernardo Silva, Trent Alexander-Arnold and even Diomande also trusted to initiate attacks.
Such meticulous strategy has helped Real Madrid turn into a potent side from set-pieces this season.
