Jose Mourinho still believes in 32-year-old veteran despite difficult start at Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho is yet to identify his best combination at Real Madrid, with the midfield in particular raising a lot of questions.

The Portuguese tactician has so far preferred using Aurelien Tchouameni and Fede Valverde as his first-choice partnership.

However, while the duo are excellent physically and at winning the ball back, they leave a lot to be desired in terms of creativity.

One player who could change things is Bernardo Silva, but the former Manchester City star has struggled to get going after arriving in the summer with considerable expectations.

According to MARCA, Mourinho has not yet given up on the Portuguese veteran despite his limited role so far.

Mourinho remains confident that he can recover the best version of Bernardo. Wednesday’s Champions League encounter against Roma could offer an important indication of the manager’s plan for the midfielder.

Madrid moved decisively to sign Bernardo during the summer, hijacking the deal while he appeared close to joining Atletico Madrid.

Mourinho wanted a technically gifted, versatile player capable of retaining possession and bringing greater control to the midfield.

Dani Ceballos’ departure had created an opening, while Madrid’s unsuccessful pursuit of Rodri increased the need for someone with Bernardo’s qualities.

However, the signing has yet to deliver the expected impact. Mourinho hinted during pre-season that Bernardo had arrived short of his best physical condition.

His opportunities have since declined considerably. He has not started a match since 12 September against Rayo Vallecano.

Since then, his only appearance has been an eight-minute outing in the Madrid derby. He remained an unused substitute against Elche and Villarreal.

The international break has offered Bernardo little relief. Across Portugal’s four Nations League victories, Bernardo played just seven minutes.

One of the biggest problems has been finding a suitable position for the midfielder.

Mourinho initially experimented with Bernardo alongside Federico Valverde in a double pivot, hoping his passing and positional intelligence would improve Madrid’s build-up.

However, that partnership failed to produce the desired defensive balance. The manager has also considered using Bernardo further forward.

That said, competition for attacking places has also intensified, leaving Bernardo without an opportunity in that area as well.

Despite the odds being firmly stacked against him, Mourinho continues to believe Bernardo can become an important player.

Wednesday’s Champions League fixture against Roma could provide an indication of whether Mourinho is ready to give Bernardo another meaningful opportunity.

The midfielder missed Madrid’s previous European encounter against Inter through suspension, and his experience at the highest level could prove valuable.

More importantly, Madrid’s recent performances suggest they still need precisely the qualities Bernardo was signed to provide.

Arda Guler provides creativity, but much of Madrid’s attacking play still depends on individual inspiration.

Bernardo could help address those weaknesses if Mourinho finds a role that allows him to receive possession centrally and connect the midfield with the forwards.

It remains to be seen how the 32-year-old’s role improves in the coming weeks and whether he gets a chance to play against Roma.