According to Marca, Mourinho expects his midfield to perform at its best, and Bernardo Silva is viewed as a key figure in this creative midfield that the team desperately needs.

Tuesday's match against Inter Milan revealed what many consider Real Madrid's biggest new weakness: lack of midfield control. Real Madrid played the match like an obstacle course, surviving only thanks to Courtois, who once again activated his "octopus mode." Of course, Real Madrid's attackers also missed plenty of chances, but the entire game was barely controlled. This made the Bernabéu uncomfortable, and some boos were heard, as fans have yet to see the team's problems resolved for over two years.

Mourinho is confident he has found the answer, and it lies with Bernardo Silva. Bernardo missed this Champions League match due to suspension, as did Güler and Camavinga. With three key players absent, the midfield was stretched too thin, and Mourinho tried to push Trent forward to help the creative tasks, but it didn't work well. Therefore, unless the situation is extremely urgent—as it was on Tuesday—this setup should not be used again.

Rodri's failure to join was a blow to Real Madrid, but beforehand, the club and Mourinho believed the problem was at least partially solved because they had already secured Bernardo Silva's agreement. The midfielder who played under Guardiola at Manchester City finally joined Real Madrid. Real Madrid beat rivals including Barcelona and Atlético Madrid in the race to recruit this free agent. With him turning 32 on August 10 this year, his age also fits well.

Mourinho's call played an important role in Silva's decision, but the fact is, so far, the Portuguese player's presence in the team has been limited. The coach has even openly criticized him for not reaching "peak" physical condition this summer, which may explain his current modest statistics: only 205 minutes played across 4 matches, with 2 starts, both from the first two matches of the season.

In fact, Bernardo looked his best during preseason, when he truly appeared like a new metronome, a highlight in a team still coming together. The situation is largely the same now, as Mourinho's ideas are still being implemented, and Bernardo has played just over 30 minutes in the last 3 matches.

The Portuguese player made 53 appearances for Manchester City last season, and Mourinho is eager for him to reach peak performance soon. For now at least, Mourinho is not considering moving Güler back to a deeper midfield role. According to Real Madrid's coach, the closer the Turkish player is to the penalty box, the more dangerous he is, though he also believes Güler could play deeper in the future. But not now, because Güler has proven himself as the best player at orchestrating attacks in the final third. As for playing from deeper positions, Mourinho is relying on Bernardo, who needs to improve his physical condition before he can truly take on a major role in the creative zone. In any case, Valverde, Camavinga, and Tchouaméni are not creative midfielders.

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