Real Madrid News
Real Madrid’s predicted backline under Jose Mourinho leaves club veteran on the bench – report
While pre-season has yet to fully unfold, discussion is already growing over how Jose Mourinho could line up his Real Madrid team.
On that note, one of the latest projections comes from journalist Ramon Alvarez de Mon, who believes the competition for places could see one veteran lose his first-team spot.
According to information shared through Defensa Central, Mourinho is expected to give Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen the edge in central defence, a decision that would leave Antonio Rudiger fighting to reclaim his place in the starting XI.
Konate and Huijsen to be Mourinho’s first-choice
Ramon Alvarez de Mon believes Real Madrid’s defensive hierarchy could look very different when the new season gets underway.
The journalist expects Konate and Huijsen to start together at the heart of the defence, with the experienced Rudiger providing competition rather than leading the back line as he has in recent years.
“In defence, Konate and Huijsen will play in front of Rudiger and Bernardo Silva will be a midfielder alongside Tchouameni,” he said.
If true, it will be a significant shift from the 2025/26 season.
This is because Huijsen may have experienced an inconsistent first season in Madrid, but the coaching staff and club hierarchy see him as a future leader of the defence.
Alongside him, Konate offers a different profile. The France international has built his reputation on physical dominance, recovery pace and aerial strength, qualities Real Madrid believe can add greater balance to their defensive unit.
What about Bernardo Silva?
Alvarez de Mon also expects Mourinho to make an interesting tactical adjustment involving Bernardo Silva.
Rather than using the Portuguese playmaker in advanced attacking areas or on the wing, the journalist believes Mourinho could deploy him in a deeper midfield role alongside Aurelien Tchouameni, placing greater emphasis on midfield control.
If that prediction proves accurate, Madrid’s midfield would combine Tchouameni’s defensive presence with Bernardo’s technical quality and ability to dictate possession, giving Mourinho another option for controlling matches against elite opposition.
Whether those plans become reality will depend largely on the performances produced during pre-season, where every player will have the opportunity to influence the manager’s decisions.
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.
