Bernardo Silva sheds light on Mourinho’s Madrid plans

Bernardo Silva is bringing the choices of Mourinho’s Madrid into focus, as the team appears to have found a clearer path. His improvement and presence in the side are linked to the team’s upswing, underlined by his performance at Camp Nou. In pre-season, Mou had said Bernardo would need time to reach his best level, as working during the holidays did not suit him. That moment has now arrived.

The possession figures offer one measure of the change. Apart from the match against Barça, when Madrid had 37% possession, the team averages 57% with the Portuguese on the pitch, compared with 47% without him. Across the season, Madrid’s overall average stands at 52%.

The shift is not down to a single coaching decision: several players have changed since the comeback in Rome, but Bernardo’s repositioning stands out. Mourinho was patient before bringing him into the starting eleven. With the attacking line already crowded and players quicker and more physical than him, the decision was to use him centrally and deeper, helping to bring clarity alongside Valverde and Tchouaméni in the double pivot.

Against Barça, Bernardo also stood out for his defensive work, closing passing lanes to Rodri and Pedri. Before the match, the concern was that Barça would prevail through its midfield; that did not happen. Earlier, against Roma, Bernardo had also helped Madrid build from the back, either freeing Tchouaméni from that task or sharing it with him. Against Leipzig, Madrid reached 62% possession.

Mou had already seen encouraging signs against Sevilla and Lepizgig, with Bernardo starting the second of those matches and Madrid keeping the ball better despite a rather flat first half. Signed for his versatility, Bernardo can play higher up, as a link player or out wide; it is deeper that he has fitted in best, allowing Güler to play further forward at Camp Nou. With no midfield signing, neither Rodri nor another alternative, Bernardo had also become a candidate to improve play in that area after the golden years of Kroos and Modric.