Here’s why Jose Mourinho did not start Guler and Bernardo Silva against Roma
Real Madrid’s comeback against Roma midweek was one of their most memorable ones in recent years as they overturned a 3-1 deficit to win the game in a matter of just ten minutes.
Real Madrid’s comeback against Roma midweek was one of their most memorable ones in recent years as they overturned a 3-1 deficit to win the game in a matter of just ten minutes.
While the performance in itself was poor, the game served to bring the team together and deliver a statement that Real Madrid still have that attacking zest in them. Where they fell short, however, was in controlling the game.
The men in white suffered throughout the night until Mourinho made big midfield changes. Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva’s entry changed the game, and it got fans questioning why the duo was not in the starting XI from the get-go.
As confirmed by Rodra in a recent report, Jose Mourinho had a specific idea in mind against Roma, which made him choose a midfield sans Guler and Silva.
The Portuguese manager wanted to start the most physical XI possible, and that led him to prefer the likes of Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni in midfield.
His idea was clear – to counter the intensity of Gasperini’s team, sacrificing ball possession and relying on substitutions in the second half when Roma would slow down their pace.
The idea eventually worked out, but at the cost of almost conceding all three points in the UEFA Champions League.
While Mourinho’s plan of tiring out Roma and capitalizing on the second half was not a poor one, Real Madrid already found themselves 3-1 down at the time the comeback began.
It worked out on this occasion, but it is clear that it is not a sustainable plan. For a team of Real Madrid’s caliber, the game has to be more dominant and straightforward.
Where Real Madrid have been lacking all season is in retaining the ball and creating meaningful attacking openings, and it is clear that Guler and Silva bring that to the table.
With El Clasico coming up, it will be interesting to see whether or not the manager moves past his idea of pairing Tchouameni and Valverde for the big games, especially after how the midweek game turned out.