Mourinho finds Real Madrid formula after 16 matches

Jose Mourinho has finally settled on a clear Real Madrid starting XI, with the Portuguese opting for his preferred 4-2-3-1 system after 16 matches and a run of eight wins from eight between the international breaks.

The side currently favoured by Mourinho is Thibaut Courtois; Federico Valverde, Ibrahima Konate, Dean Huijsen and Marc Cucurella; Aurelien Tchouameni and Bernardo Silva; Arda Guler, Jude Bellingham and Yann Diomande; with Kylian Mbappe leading the attack.

According to Spanish newspaper Sport, the outline of the team first became clear during the Clasico, before Courtois replaced Andriy Lunin in goal. A relatively short injury list also helped Mourinho establish his preferred XI after roughly 100 days of work.

Mourinho has repeatedly stressed that no player is bigger than Real Madrid, and that no-one is guaranteed a place. He made that point when discussing Vinicius Junior, who missed four La Liga matches through suspension after being sent off against Villarreal. Yann Diomande’s emergence during the Brazilian’s absence also helped shape the current team.

The demands of competing in several competitions are likely to bring changes, but in November this is Mourinho’s preferred line-up for major fixtures. Its development followed extensive experimentation, particularly in central midfield.

Midfield and defence

Mourinho used seven different combinations in the two holding midfield positions and made nine changes between matches. Tchouameni and Valverde remain the most-used pairing, having started together against Elche, Atletico Madrid, Villarreal and Roma. After Real Madrid’s dramatic comeback in Italy, Mourinho altered his approach.

Bernardo Silva restored balance after moving from an early-season starting role to a period outside the team. He partnered Valverde against Espanyol, Real Sociedad and Rayo Vallecano, and played alongside Eduardo Camavinga against RB Leipzig and AEK Athens in the Champions League. Bernardo and Tchouameni then started against Barcelona, Racing and Valencia.

Other combinations included Camavinga and Valverde against Malaga and Real Betis, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Valverde against Inter Milan, and Arda Guler with Tchouameni against Sevilla. The shift towards the current team began when Valverde returned to right-back after starting the first 10 matches in midfield.

The full-back positions saw six pairings and 13 changes. Denzel Dumfries and Cucurella played together five times, including both defeats by Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid. Dumfries and Alvaro Carreras, Alexander-Arnold and Cucurella, and Valverde and Cucurella each formed a partnership in three matches, with the latter now the most settled.

At centre-back, Mourinho used four pairings and made 10 changes. Huijsen and Konate started together in 10 of the 16 games. Antonio Rudiger partnered Konate three times, Huijsen twice and Eder Militao once against AEK Athens.

Mbappe leads attacking options

Mbappe is the only player to start all 16 matches, while Bellingham has started 15, missing only the game against Elche when Guler played as the advanced playmaker.

Mourinho used five attacking trios and made 12 changes. Guler, Mbappe and Vinicius Junior played together five times; Diomande, Guler and Mbappe four times; and Diomande, Mbappe and Vinicius four times. Brahim Diaz, Mbappe and Vinicius featured against Malaga and Inter Milan, while Sevilla marked the turning point, with Diomande, Endrick and Mbappe starting up front.

Guler has appeared nine times in an attacking trio, once as the advanced playmaker and once in a holding midfield pair. His versatility, combined with Valverde’s adaptability, has allowed Mourinho to alter the system without wholesale changes.