Real Madrid injury crisis leaves Jose Mourinho considering emergency defensive plan

Real Madrid defender Ibrahima Konate is expected to be out for up to three weeks after suffering a collateral ligament injury to his right leg during the international break, leaving Jose Mourinho with limited options at centre-back.

Konate’s availability for the meeting with Villarreal is now in doubt, with his return dependent on how his recovery develops. Real Madrid are unwilling to take any risks over his fitness.

Antonio Rudiger is currently the only available senior central defender in the first-team squad. Dean Huijsen must serve a suspension following his dismissal in the Madrid derby, while Raul Asencio has recently undergone surgery and Eder Militao is still completing his recovery.

According to Sport, Mourinho is considering moving Aurelien Tchouameni back into central defence or pairing Rudiger with a player from the academy. The Portuguese manager could also look to Real Madrid’s reserve side for an alternative.

Mourinho attended the derby involving Atletico Madrid’s reserve team, and Mario Rivas has emerged as the leading candidate after being given considerable playing time by the manager during pre-season. Rivas has earned Mourinho’s trust and is now the most likely reserve-team option.

Juan Martinez is another defender known to Mourinho, although his reduced role with the youth teams has weakened his chances of being selected. Diego Aguado provides a further possibility as Real Madrid try to cope with a growing list of absences.

The makeshift defence will face its first examination against Villarreal, who found form before the international break. Villarreal recorded successive victories over Malaga and Levante, scoring three goals in each match after an inconsistent start to the season.

Their improvement followed the decision to use Moleiro as a playmaker, give a bigger role to Ilias Akhomach and rely on Ayoze Perez as the main attacking reference. The system has produced positive results, leaving Villarreal’s manager to decide whether to retain it at Santiago Bernabeu.

The match comes as Mourinho works to improve Real Madrid’s defensive balance. He used the international break to address weaknesses exposed in the Madrid derby against Atletico Madrid, but will now have to assess that progress with an improvised back line and limited scope for changes during matches.

The Villarreal fixture begins a demanding run of five matches in 15 days. Real Madrid will then face Roma, Sevilla and Leipzig before the clasico.

That schedule will test whether Real Madrid can recover the defensive solidity they have lacked, particularly as injuries have weakened the centre of the team’s defence. Moving Tchouameni into the back line would also require Mourinho to adjust his midfield, while selecting an academy player would demand an immediate response during an uninterrupted run of fixtures.