One day before suffering their first defeat of the season against Betis, José Mourinho was optimistic, although he already warned that Real Madrid would have to face a “big problem.” That scenario has arrived just before the debut in the Champions League, with Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Güler and Bernardo Silva suspended due to the accumulation of cards from the last edition.
Inter Milan visits the Santiago Bernabéu this Tuesday on the first day of the Champions League phase, in a match that Real Madrid will face just a few days after suffering its first setback of the season.
The white team had already been close to dropping points against Espanyol. However, Carlos Espí appeared in the 90th minute to give Mourinho’s team the victory. Against Betis, the forward once again had a leading role in the final minutes and even scored, but his goal was disallowed due to a previous offside. Kylian Mbappé also did not take advantage of his opportunity from the penalty spot and the green and white team ended up winning 1-0.
The difficulty that Mourinho had anticipated is already installed in Real Madrid. After two thrashings at the Bernabéu, against Real Sociedad (4-1) and Málaga (4-0), the Madrid team faces its first major European test with significant losses in the midfield, one of the areas that most needs to rebuild after two seasons without titles.
Camavinga was sent off in the second leg of the last Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich. The Frenchman saw two yellow cards in just eight minutes, in the 78th and 86th minutes, when the score kept the tie tied. Real Madrid ended up losing control of the match and the German team scored two goals in the final minutes to advance to the semifinals, where they were later eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain.
That expulsion provoked strong protests from the Madrid players against the Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic. Arda Güler also ended up expelled for his complaints after Bayern’s goals. The Turk had started that night as one of the team’s protagonists by scoring Real Madrid’s first two goals, but ended up seeing red and being left out of action for the next European match.
Bernardo Silva experienced a similar situation in the last European match of last season with Manchester City. In the second leg of the round of 16 against Real Madrid, the English team needed to overcome the 3-0 deficit in the first leg at the Bernabéu, but the situation became even more complicated after 20 minutes.
The Portuguese blocked a shot by Vinícius with his hand, practically on the goal line, and received a direct red card. Real Madrid had a penalty and the Brazilian attacker himself was in charge of converting it.
Thus, three expulsions in the last European matches of Camavinga, Güler and Bernardo Silva have ended up having consequences for Real Madrid at the start of this new Champions League.
Mourinho already knew that he would have to face this situation.
“You’re already ruining my peace of mind! We’ll talk about it tomorrow, after the game. But until the Betis game, let me be optimistic. Happy, because you know we’re going to have a big problem to solve,” he said with a laugh before the match against the Green and White team.
The defeat, however, increased the difficulty even more. To receive Inter, Mourinho only has two midfielders from the first team: Fede Valverde and Jude Bellingham. Furthermore, the Englishman has started the season performing in more advanced positions.
The Portuguese coach has opted for a double pivot since his return to the Madrid bench. If he maintains that system against the Italian champion, Bellingham could be forced to delay his position to accompany Valverde.
The alternatives also go through the quarry. Jorge Cestero, a regular in the calls during this start of the season although still without minutes, is an option with a more defensive profile after having played five games with the first team last season.
Another possibility is Sergio Martínez, brought in from Racing Santander to reinforce RM Castilla. The midfielder, with a more creative profile, was already included in the squad for the match against Betis.
Mourinho will have to find an emergency solution for Real Madrid that arrives at its first major European event with less margin for error. Inter awaits at the Bernabéu and, after the defeat against Betis, the “big problem” that the Portuguese spoke of is now a reality.
