Real Madrid’s Betis defeat leaves Jose Mourinho with familiar questions

Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat by Real Betis at La Cartuja has revived doubts around Jose Mourinho’s side, with familiar concerns returning over the midfield structure and the compatibility of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.

Although Real Madrid were beaten, they did not produce a poor performance. According to Sport, the Spanish champions created enough opportunities to win and controlled long periods of the match, but ultimately left the stadium without scoring.

The concern is therefore about more than the result. The defeat has raised the prospect that what have been described as the “ghosts of the past” are beginning to reappear.

Real Madrid have started La Liga with victories in recent seasons, giving the impression that the different parts of the team are quickly fitting together. The club’s star players make an immediate impact and, for several weeks, the usual questions seem to disappear. Those questions return, however, when the first serious test arrives.

That happened during last season’s derby and, so far this campaign, against Real Betis. The team’s overall performance in the latest match was considerably better, but the same concerns were again visible.

Two familiar questions now face Mourinho: who is responsible for organising the play, and can the club’s three leading attacking players genuinely operate effectively in the same team?

The roles of Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde in midfield remain particularly open to scrutiny. Camavinga has the qualities to become a highly complete player, but lapses in concentration and an inexplicable difficulty in executing some technical actions have contributed to inconsistent performances.

Valverde presents a different problem. He has never looked at his best when positioned at the base of the build-up. His football appears more natural when matches become stretched, when he has space to run into, or when he moves towards the wing.

Real Madrid need midfielders who actively seek the ball and want to take part in that area of the pitch. Yet Valverde often appears to hide during important phases of possession rather than making himself available, while he has also been unable to provide the required influence in organised attacking play.

That brings back a question the club chose not to settle in the transfer market: “Who controls the midfield when a match demands calm, control and circulation of the ball?” After Real Madrid decided against signing Rodri, the answer appears once again to be individual inspiration, with Arda Guler carrying much of the creative responsibility.

The discussion can also be followed in greater depth through the Kooora forums.

Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Bellingham are all immensely talented players whose ability cannot reasonably be questioned. The issue is how well they complement one another and whether their status as apparently “untouchable” members of the squad has begun to affect the team.

Against Betis, Real Madrid created numerous chances. Mbappe can at times appear capable of reaching goal with remarkable ease, yet he is also the player who has missed the clearest chances more often than anyone else in the league. When he is not at his best, a side that relies heavily on his goals pays a heavy price.

Vinicius is also some distance from the level that once made him such a decisive player. He retains the ability to change a match with a single moment, but for some time he has appeared less involved than he should be and his influence has diminished considerably. His latest contract renewal has also secured him a prominent hierarchy within the squad that has not been reflected on the pitch.

Bellingham had been one of Real Madrid’s most important and impressive players in the recent period, but his display against Betis again suggested that his performances lack consistency. He looked tired and, unable to find suitable positions from which to shoot, lost much of his effectiveness.

The three players are placing more restrictions on both the team and Mourinho than they should. That was highlighted by the manager’s decision to substitute Arda Guler against Betis.

The Turkish midfielder was clearly performing better than some of the club’s leading names and was also carrying a booking. But it remains fair to ask whether Mourinho would have made the same decision if the yellow card had belonged to one of the other three attackers. Guler was contributing more than several of the established stars, yet he was the easiest player to remove in order to preserve calm inside the dressing room.

Real Madrid have lost only one match, and it is too early to speak of a crisis. Nevertheless, the defeat has returned attention to two major problems that have troubled the club for several seasons: the absence of a controlling midfielder and doubts over whether their three attacking stars can function together.

All of that has happened without Diomande, who appears confused whenever he comes on, being given a genuine opportunity to play.

The loss at La Cartuja has therefore brought old doubts back into view. Mourinho must find answers if he is to change the direction in which this Real Madrid team has been moving for several seasons.