Mourinho Forced Into a Difficult Decision for His Big Return

José Mourinho surprised many with his starting lineup against Espanyol. For his return to the Real Madrid bench, the Portuguese coach decided to start two players who had been widely expected to compete for the same position this season.

When the match kicked off against Espanyol, both Arda Güler and Jude Bellingham were in Real Madrid’s starting XI. It was a decision that few had anticipated. Mourinho could easily have sacrificed one of them in order to field a more conventional and balanced midfield, but instead, he chose to build his system around both players.

Bellingham retained a midfield role that allowed him to move forward and attack the penalty area, similar to the position in which he had performed successfully during the most recent World Cup. Güler, meanwhile, was deployed higher up the pitch on the right side, operating more like a false winger than a traditional wide player.

The Turkish international quickly showed why Mourinho believed he could be effective in that position. He was heavily involved in Real Madrid’s attacking play, constantly moving inside to combine with his teammates and create space. His influence was rewarded early in the game when he delivered the free kick that allowed Bellingham to open the scoring in the ninth minute.

It was the perfect illustration of how Mourinho’s tactical gamble could work. Güler provided creativity and quality from wide areas, while Bellingham used his physical presence and intelligent movement to attack dangerous spaces around the box.

However, the rest of the match proved much more difficult for Los Blancos. Espanyol eventually found an equaliser and forced Mourinho to rethink his approach. As Real Madrid searched for a winning goal, the Portuguese coach gradually changed the structure of his team.

Güler was the first of the two players to leave the pitch. Bellingham followed a few minutes later as Mourinho opted for a much more attacking system for the closing stages.

Without the two creative midfielders, Real Madrid finished the match with an aggressive setup. Yan Diomandé moved to the right flank, while Carlos Espí joined Kylian Mbappé inside and around the penalty area. Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga were left as the only two natural midfielders, giving the team greater numbers in attack.

Jude Bellingham x Arda 😍🗣️ pic.twitter.com/ATBhoTdOBI

— Arda Güler (fan) (@iHQGuler) August 24, 2026

The changes eventually paid off, with Real Madrid finding the decisive goal late in the match.

Mourinho’s decision in his first La Liga game of the season therefore provided an early indication of how he intends to manage the competition between Bellingham and Güler. Rather than immediately choosing one player over the other, he demonstrated that both can coexist in the same starting lineup.

The Portuguese coach could have made the simple choice and left one of them on the bench. Instead, he preferred a more ambitious tactical solution, adjusting their roles to accommodate both players.

Whether Mourinho continues with this approach throughout the season remains to be seen, but against Espanyol, he sent an important message: Bellingham and Güler may be competitors for certain roles, but they can also become complementary weapons in Real Madrid’s attacking system.