Portuguese international cannot play against Inter – because he was sent off… against Real Madrid. Arda Guler and Eduardo Camavinga are also suspended.
José Mourinho is preparing to face Inter Milan again. A club that means a lot to him, and which represents one of the most brilliant sides of his career.
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But in the Portuguese’s eyes, there is a big problem. At the start of the Champions League – at the Santiago Bernabéu – he cannot rely on three central midfielders: Arda Guler, Eduardo Camavinga and Bernardo Silva.
The three have been suspended as a result of expulsions in the previous edition of the Champions League.
According to UEFA’s disciplinary rules, red card sanctions do not disappear at the end of the season – unlike yellow cards and cumulations. Camavinga and Guler received red cards against Bayern Munich, while Bernardo Silva was sent off against… Real Madrid – when he was still representing Manchester City.
A change of club does not delete the suspension
Real Madrid’s change of club doesn’t change anything. The sending off follows the player to the next European tournament – and thus Bernardo will have to serve his sentence at the Bernabéu, for a red card he received while still playing for City.
The situation forces Mourinho to change an area of the pitch where the three have become increasingly important at the start of the season. From the weather of Guler and Bernardo – two players with a lot of weight in building and organising the midfield – are in addition to Camavinga, who offers muscle, intensity and carrying capacity.
Must rebuild the midfield
Against Inter, Mourinho will therefore have to rebuild his midfield – hoping to rely on (old friends) Tchouaméni and Valverde to meet the challenge.
It will be a reunion that, in addition to the emotional charge, is also the first major European test of this new era of Mourinho at Real Madrid.
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