According to Marca, Valverde and Tchouaméni are struggling to control the midfield, and Bernardo Silva could be the answer.

The Valverde-Tchouaméni partnership has underperformed, Bernardo Silva remains waiting on the sidelines, and Diomande is threatening the front trio.

This derby forced Mourinho to abandon his plans to make peace with the league, a goal he had when returning to Real Madrid this season. The match also clarified his main tactical approach on the pitch. In fact, this was evident even before the match at Cívitas Metropolitano.

Real Madrid's starting lineup, on the other hand, was nearly identical to last season's heavy defeat when Carlo Ancelotti was in charge. There were only three changes: Dumfries replaced Carvajal, while Konate and Cucurella were new faces. The midfield and attack remained unchanged. Mourinho's unchanged initial plan already showed cracks.

However, Mourinho explicitly stated that he liked Real Madrid's performance in the first half. Nevertheless, the match situation did not support the same conclusion, as the team again displayed problems seen in previous matches. Even with one player down in the second half, after Diomande and Bernardo Silva came off the bench, Real Madrid pushed Atlético Madrid further back for a limited period. Rüdiger's goal also came from this sustained pressure. The center-back, who entered after Hermoso was sent off, scored as a reward for the constant attacks from the Ivorian player on the left wing. He was the one who could contain Giuliano and Marcos Llorente.

Real Madrid's coach still considers Vinícius, Mbappé, and Bellingham as untouchable core players, though among the three, the Brazilian is the first to be substituted. Güler is another player securing his position, but he too is often among the first to leave the pitch. Diomande was named Man of the Match in his second start against Elche. He also delivered a similar performance in his Bernabéu debut against Rayo Vallecano. However, bringing him into the starting lineup means one of these four players must be sacrificed. Diomande has proven himself on the left wing, but Vinícius plays there, and Real Madrid's most expensive signing can also play on the right.

Bernardo Silva's Versatility

Mourinho has been playing Valverde and Tchouaméni together in midfield. It took Tchouaméni some time to return to the starting lineup after fully recovering from injury. Güler is the third midfielder, but this trio cannot consistently control the game. Bernardo Silva could be an option for this position. Mourinho requested the club to sign him after learning he was leaving Manchester City; at that time, Atlético Madrid was also closely monitoring the deal, as he was considered Griezmann's ideal replacement. The Portuguese player could operate in this position and also join the front trio.

If he wants to change the midfield dynamics, Mourinho also has Camavinga at his disposal. This player has already returned to the national team under Zidane. There's also Pitarch, who has been training with the team since September 6 after recovering from a preseason injury. Last season, he was one of Arbeloa's secret weapons when the team was also searching for solutions. So far this season, in the Champions League match against Inter Milan where several players were absent, the Portuguese coach chose to deploy Trent in midfield.

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