Real Madrid News
Real Madrid new signing makes an impression in new role under Mourinho
With just weeks remaining before the start of the new season, Real Madrid are desperately looking for a new defensive midfielder.
It appears coach Jose Mourinho believes the club lacks someone who can control the play in the middle of the park with precision, much like how Toni Kroos used to.
Real Madrid were close to signing Rodri to fix that problem. But after the Spaniard decided to join Barcelona, the club are looking forward in-house options.
Bernardo Silva makes an impression
As reported by AS, Mourinho may have found his solution in Bernardo Silva, who impressed on his first start for the club against Deportivo La Coruna.
Faced with a shortage of central midfielders, Mourinho opted to deploy the Portuguese in a double pivot alongside Eduardo Camavinga.
Bernardo took to the role seamlessly in the first half, completing all 40 of his passes, making three recoveries and not losing possession once.
While the performance was not spectacular, it was highly effective. Bernardo maintained control of possession throughout and used his intelligent passing to initiate Real Madrid’s attacks, exactly the kind of composed presence the side has lacked in that area.
In the second half, Mourinho switched to a 4-4-2, moving Bernardo out to the left flank, where he became more involved and ventured closer to the opposition box.
A candidate to stay in the role
The coaching staff view Bernardo as a genuine option for the double pivot on a permanent basis, particularly given Real Madrid do not intend to enter the market for that type of player.
Only if an offer arrives for Camavinga, and the player agrees to leave, would the club consider a new signing.
As things stand, with Rodri in talks with Barcelona instead, Bernardo has emerged as one of the best options to anchor the 4-2-3-1 formation Mourinho is planning.
The versatility Bernardo offers is a major bonus, and he is far from the only candidate for those deeper roles. Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Thiago Pitarch and even Arda Guler are all capable of partnering him in midfield.
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.
