With multiple absences in midfield, Mourinho is considering deploying young players in the starting lineup against Inter Milan.

In the Champions League debut next Tuesday against Inter Milan, Sestelo or Sergio Martinez could be the biggest surprise in Real Madrid's starting lineup at Bernabéu. Either of these Real Madrid Castilla players could become the first "young prospect" given a chance to start from the beginning by Mourinho in an official match since his second spell as Real Madrid manager.

The first reason is that Real Madrid's midfield is depleted for this European match, with only Valverde available. Bernardo Silva, Camavinga, and Güler are unavailable due to suspension, while Tchouaméni and Pitarque are sidelined with injuries. The last two have trained with the team, but unless there is an unexpected change, they are unlikely to start and their place on the bench is also in doubt. Five absences create a very difficult midfield situation.

The second reason is that Mourinho watched the team's B-squad match on Saturday to assess Sestelo and Sergio. Sestelo played in the first half, and Sergio came on as a substitute in the second half. Both were carefully monitored specifically to help Mourinho make a final decision on who will partner Valverde in midfield. In that Castilla match, both young players impressed the Portuguese coach. Sestelo scored a brilliant goal to give the reserve team the lead and dominated midfield. Sergio Martinez made a high-profile debut with a convincing performance and demonstrated strong individual abilities.

The Sestelo Option

The plan for both players is clear: they are both candidates to face Inter Milan. Now it is up to Mourinho to decide: the first option is to start either Sestelo or Sergio Martinez directly, trying not to disrupt the team too much. The second option is to "change formation," avoiding issues by rotating players and preventing placing such responsibility from such an intense match directly on young players.

If Mourinho decides to choose one of these two young players, Sestelo is likely to be preferred. This midfielder has been with the first team throughout preseason and is well integrated into Real Madrid's rhythm. Last season, he started playing for the first team, making 5 appearances in La Liga, the Champions League, and Copa del Rey, including 1 start. He is a key midfielder for Castilla, playing an important role under Arbeloa and Julián López de Lerma. During his development, he has also faced high-pressure tests such as promotion playoffs and Real Madrid's run to the UEFA Youth League semifinal. Transfermarkt data shows he is currently the most valuable young player in La Fábrica, with a market value of 7 million euros. Arbeloa even praised him highly in Lisbon when he was Castilla's manager, saying last October: "Castilla is the team of Manuel Ángel and Palacios, and also Sestelo. I think he is currently the best defensive midfielder in Spain." This player, along with Pitarque, is one of the biggest surprises from Arbeloa's project and has gradually opened the door to Real Madrid's reserve squad. For this reason, Mourinho has not overlooked him and has kept him close since the first day of preseason.

Betting on Sergio Martinez

Sergio Martinez has made a major impact, and expectations for him are very high. This young midfielder has shown considerable ability and quickly earned praise. Castilla's manager said after his debut last Saturday: "The 45 minutes he played showed his level, ability, potential, and especially his character. To play a match like that with almost no familiarity with his teammates... We are very pleased with him and know he can help us a lot this season." This young player initially played in La Liga for Racing Santander this season, and in the previous season, he accumulated over 300 minutes in the Segunda División after previously experiencing high-level competition. However, as a new arrival, this is actually a disadvantage for him. He has only been at Valdebebas for a week and is still adapting. In terms of playing time and training integration, he is not yet ready to surpass Sestelo if Mourinho decides to use a young player.

Bellingham, Trent, Huijsen...

Beyond these two "young prospects," Mourinho has limited options to restructure midfield with so many players absent. The most straightforward and practically only low-risk solution is to drop Bellingham to partner with Valverde. This would leave the attacking midfielder position previously occupied by the English player vacant, and Güler's position in the team's usual 4-2-3-1 system would open up, giving the coach more options in the attacking midfield line. Brahim, Diomande, and Espi could all be deployed to alleviate the serious problem caused by the five midfield absences.

If alternative options are used, it would mean changing formation. For example, on the right flank, both Dumfries and Trent could advance, with the English player acting as a third midfielder, positioned alongside Valverde and Bellingham. Then, Brahim or Espi could line up in attack, partnering with Vinícius and Mbappé. This would essentially switch to a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 to accommodate the new pieces. The final and most radical option is to bring Huijsen into midfield. Huijsen excels with ball control and has excellent physical attributes. In that scenario, the center-back pairing would be Rüdiger and Konaté, and only the attacking options mentioned above would be needed to fill the void left by Güler.

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