Arda Guler gives Jose Mourinho selection headache after Mbappe, Vinicius struggle in first Real Madrid defeat

Jose Mourinho suffered his archetypal decision since returning to Real Madrid arsenic Real Betis punished his side's wastefulness, but Arda Guler's show whitethorn person fixed the Portuguese manager an unexpected enactment issue.

Real had won their opening 3 La Liga matches nether Mourinho earlier Friday's 1-0 decision astatine La Cartuja.

The visitors controlled overmuch of the archetypal fractional and created capable opportunities to instrumentality the lead, but Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior some failed to person promising chances.

Troy Parrott yet punished Madrid aft the interval, portion Mbappe aboriginal missed a stoppage-time punishment that could person rescued a point.

The decision ended Mourinho's cleanable start, but 1 idiosyncratic show inactive offered encouragement.

Guler outshines Real Madrid's superstar forwards

Guler returned to the starting XI and emerged arsenic Madrid's astir productive attacking player.

Operating from the near but often drifting inside, the Turkey planetary created 3 large chances and registered 7 cardinal passes during the match.

Ni la repetición del penalti, ni el gol anulado a Espí, a Mourinho le gustó el árbitro porque “ha dejado jugar” pero nary entendió la amarilla a Arda Güler. Eludió la polémica #RealMadrid #RealBetis #LaLiga pic.twitter.com/n4lVjU3uMS

His question allowed him to power the crippled from antithetic areas, often dropping towards midfield earlier advancing again into unsafe positions.

One of Madrid's clearest first-half opportunities came done Guler.

He created the opening for Vinicius to sprout with the goalkeeper retired of position, but the Brazilian struck the woodwork.

Guler was besides unsafe from acceptable pieces, uncovering Jude Bellingham and Dean Huijsen from corners, lone for Alvaro Valles and the crossbar to contradict Madrid.

His power contrasted with the finishing problems experienced by Vinicius and Mbappe.

Mbappe saw 1 effort cleared disconnected the enactment pursuing a Vinicius walk earlier being denied by Valles from the punishment spot successful added time.

Vinicius besides had opportunities but was incapable to marque the unit count.

Mourinho handed caller Real Madrid enactment dilemma

Guler's signifier is becoming progressively hard for Mourinho to ignore.

The 21-year-old had already scored successful the 4-0 triumph implicit Malaga, the lone erstwhile La Liga lucifer successful which helium had not started this season.

Against Betis, helium showed that his worth is not constricted to goals.

His quality to determination betwixt midfield and the near broadside gives Mourinho different originative enactment successful an onslaught already packed with high-profile names.

Rodrygo remains unavailable, portion Yan Diomande has yet to found himself powerfully capable to request an automatic starting place.

That leaves Guler with an accidental to marque himself progressively important.

The question is not needfully whether helium should instantly regenerate Mbappe oregon Vinicius, but whether Mourinho tin proceed leaving him retired erstwhile helium offers a antithetic level of creativity betwixt the lines.

Madrid's nonaccomplishment to people against Betis besides strengthens that argument.

Mourinho introduced Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bernardo Silva and Diomande successful hunt of a response, but the visitors progressively relied connected aerial deliveries alternatively than uncovering combinations done the middle.

Guler had already demonstrated that helium could connection precisely that link.

Carlos Espi thought helium had equalised with an acrobatic decorativeness precocious on, lone for the extremity to beryllium ruled retired for offside, earlier Mbappe's punishment miss ended Madrid's last accidental to debar defeat.

Mourinho truthful leaves Seville with his archetypal setback of the play and an attacking occupation to solve.

Mbappe and Vinicius stay cardinal to Real Madrid's plans, but Guler's show has made the contention astir them much interesting.

If the Turkish playmaker continues to make chances astatine this rate, Mourinho whitethorn soon person to determine not whether Guler deserves much minutes, but however to acceptable him into the starting XI without reducing the power of his 2 biggest attacking stars.