Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfield prodigy determined to win over Jose Mourinho
There are a number of players in the Real Madrid squad for whom the next few weeks of pre-season could be make or break under Jose Mourinho.
When a squad is as loaded with stars as Los Blancos, it might be difficult for some of the talented younger players to earn important roles in the project.
Now, according to MARCA, Arda Guler has returned to Real Madrid in outstanding physical condition, determined to make himself a central figure in Jose’s new project.
The Turkish midfielder has made an excellent early impression on Mourinho, who has been pleased not only with his technical quality but also with the attitude and intensity he has shown since pre-season began.
Guler returns ready to compete
Guler was the first of Madrid’s World Cup players to rejoin the squad after Turkey were eliminated in the group stage. Although his tournament ended earlier than expected, he used the break wisely.
The 21-year-old rested while continuing a specific physical programme, allowing him to return looking sharp and fully prepared for the demands of pre-season.
That professionalism has been clear from the opening sessions. Guler appears determined to show Mourinho that he is ready for greater responsibility.
Steady progress at the Bernabeu
The midfielder is now beginning his fourth season as a Real Madrid player after improving his involvement year by year.
He played 12 matches during his debut campaign, followed by 49 in his second season and 51 last term.
His most recent campaign saw him contribute six goals and 14 assists, numbers that underline the progress he has made as a creator.
Mourinho is said to value Guler’s ability to receive between the lines, spot passes in crowded areas and influence matches close to the opposition penalty area.
More importantly, he has been impressed by the 21-year-old’s constant desire to keep improving.
Midfield is stacked
The arrival of Bernardo Silva means Guler will face major competition for minutes, but that does not appear to have changed his plans.
Mourinho will have to select between players like Federico Valverde, Silva, Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Guler for the midfield slots.
The Turkish midfield prodigy wants to succeed at Real Madrid and is prepared to fight for a place rather than look for an easier route elsewhere.
That mentality should appeal to Mourinho, a coach who places enormous value on discipline, sacrifice and competitive character.
This could be the season in which the 21-year-old steps up from being a promising starlet into a key player for Real Madrid.
The next few weeks in pre-season should give an idea of Mourinho’s plans for Guler, and it remains to be seen whether the Turk can grab the opportunity with both hands.
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.
