Real Madrid crisis could see Jose Mourinho play ex-Premier League defenders in midfield

Jose Mourinho may be forced into a dramatic tactical shake-up to combat Real Madrid’s midfield crisis in the Champions League.

The Special One has been sent back to the drawing board after suffering the first defeat of his second spell in charge on Friday.

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Madrid were beaten 1-0 by Real Betis, courtesy of a goal from Troy Parrott, who made his debut under Mourinho at Tottenham.

Los Blancos have little time to lick their wounds, with their first Champions League match on Tuesday where they face Inter Milan.

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Mourinho has been dealt a huge selection headache in midfield for the return of European competition to the Bernabeu.

The 63-year-old will be without Bernardo Silva, who carries over his one-match Champions League suspension from Manchester City.

The Portuguese midfielder was sent off while playing for City – ironically against Madrid in last season’s round of 16 second leg.

The LaLiga giants were knocked out of the competition themselves in the next round by Bayern Munich, which saw two other stars get sent off.

Arda Guler and Eduardo Camavinga – both of whom started on Friday night – were dismissed in their last Champions League outing, and like Silva, their one-match UEFA suspension carries over.

Meanwhile, neither Aurelien Tchouameni nor Thiago Pitarch have played this season through injury – but both are closing in on returns.

That could potentially leave only Federico Valverde as Mourinho’s only senior recognised midfielder if he sticks with his 4-2-3-1 set-up.

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Trent or Dean Huijsen in midfield?

AS reports that Jude Bellingham, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jorge Cestero and Dean Huijsen are four options to fix Madrid’s crisis.

Bellingham remains the obvious candidate to drop deeper, but Mourinho has already insisted that he sees him as a No.10 instead.

“He has goals in him and has to play close to the box,” Mourinho clarified on the England international’s best position recently.

“He’s a number ten. He can play as a six or an eight, but if he plays that deep, we lose his proximity to goal.”

His countryman Alexander-Arnold has long been touted for a role in Madrid’s midfield, with his game time reduced at his favoured right-back spot following Denzel Dumfries’ summer arrival.

The former Liverpool vice-captain inverted from right-back at Anfield, and he was even deployed in holding midfield at Euro 2024.

As for Huijsen, he admitted Mourinho was a huge factor in his decision to join Roma on loan from Juventus, despite the latter having been sacked in the same month as his arrival in January 2024.

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The former Bournemouth star is renowned for his ability on the ball, having started in the youth ranks as a striker before dropping back.

He has been ever-present at centre-back under Mourinho so far this season, with Antonio Rudiger and Ibrahima Konate partnering each other in defence if Huijsen is moved into midfield.