Guler, Silva and Camavinga absences leave Mourinho facing Bernabeu midfield test

Real Madrid will be without Arda Guler, Bernardo Silva and Eduardo Camavinga for next Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with Inter Milan, leaving manager Jose Mourinho with major selection problems in midfield.

The three players are suspended after being sent off in their final European appearances during last season’s Champions League campaign. Their absence means Mourinho must construct an entirely new midfield for the opening match of the league phase at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Three of the four midfielders who started Real Madrid’s final Champions League fixture last season were dismissed in European matches. Camavinga and Guler received red cards against Bayern Munich in the second leg of the quarter-final, while Silva was sent off against Real Madrid in the second leg of the last 16.

With those suspensions ruling out three important options, the most likely plan is for Real Madrid to bring Aurelien Tchouameni back into the team and pair him with Fede Valverde.

However, Tchouameni has not played at all this season because of injury. He returned from holiday with pain that prevented him from reaching the same level of fitness as his team-mates.

The current proposal is for the France international to receive some playing time against Real Betis in La Liga, allowing him to build up his match fitness before the demanding European fixture. That plan has not yet been confirmed.

Tchouameni’s possible return would provide some relief, but Mourinho’s choices remain restricted. Tiago Pitarch is also injured, further reducing the available midfield options before one of the most difficult and significant matches of the league phase.

According to Defensa Central, Mourinho will therefore have to devise a midfield capable of competing with limited resources against Inter Milan. The suspensions have created an unusual situation for the Real Madrid manager, who must replace three members of the side’s established midfield structure at the very start of the European campaign.

The match will be Real Madrid’s first fixture in the league phase of the Champions League, with Inter Milan travelling to the Santiago Bernabeu next Tuesday. Mourinho’s immediate priority will be to establish whether Tchouameni can play a role alongside Valverde, or whether another solution will be required.

The uncertainty is increased by the fact that Tchouameni has yet to feature this season and is still working towards full fitness. Any minutes against Real Betis would be intended to prepare him for the intensity of the Champions League, although there is no confirmation that he will be involved.

With Guler, Silva and Camavinga suspended, and Pitarch unavailable through injury, Real Madrid face the prospect of entering their European opener without most of their regular midfield choices. Mourinho must now find a competitive combination for the Inter Milan game while managing Tchouameni’s recovery.

The subject and related news can also be discussed in greater depth on Koora forums.