A column in AS points out that Vini Jr., Bellingham, and Mbappé must be Mourinho's absolute key players, but it is concerning if "untouchable" becomes a permanent state.

In the classic film The Untouchables, a federal agent played by Kevin Costner, guided by Jim Malone, once posed a difficult question: How far are you willing to go to achieve your goal? Without melodrama, and setting aside matters of life and death, allow me to pose this question to Mourinho: How long will he protect those "untouchable" players? Announcing substitutions for star players has never been easy. But currently, it seems just as difficult to pull them from the pitch when the match is not going well. Vini Jr., Bellingham, and Mbappé appear only to be substituted in the final minutes when the result is already decided, or when they are exhausted and request to leave the field. As Ancelotti once said: "If you're tired, raise your hand." Yet no one raises their hand.

Initially, there was hope that with Mourinho's return, his authority over star players and his ability to make decisive decisions—qualities that cost Xabi Alonso—would be valued more highly than his recent record as a manager on the sidelines. In a dressing room that demands tight management, this authority has yet to translate into specific competitive decisions. When it comes to actual decisions, Güler remains the most rotated or substituted player, despite his performances offering everyone a football lesson. At La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Real Madrid had their reasons, but without the Turkish player, Madrid's attack has faded.

Talent, status, and leadership demand that these three key players be Mourinho's trump cards, but the problem arises when "untouchable" no longer stems from form but becomes a permanent condition; trust then becomes confused with immunity. This signals a lack of merit-based accountability and could affect the entire team. An early substitution should not be seen as a punishment. If they are to avoid repeating the mistakes that cost the team the championship, team value must take precedence over individual value.

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