Real Madrid: Silva is the 'commander' on the pitch

Throughout his successful stints at Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid in 2012, Jose Mourinho consistently had specific players he prioritized.

But the person he was waiting for most to arrive at the Bernabeu this time, Rodri, did not appear.

This issue escalated when former conductor Toni Kroos expressed concern that the 30-year-old midfielder moving to Barcelona would completely change the landscape of the La Liga title race, because the problems that the Galacticos would face are greater than even the Special One's predictions.

Mourinho's Philosophy

With a philosophy centered on defensive play, a holding midfielder with ideal physique, top-level thinking, and leadership qualities like Rodri is the perfect replica of Claude Makelele or Xabi Alonso from the past, players whom Mourinho once coached.

Anyone who has followed how the Portuguese coach built his midfield in the past will recognize his familiar method. That is to treat the pre-season period as an extended 'trial' rather than just a formality. He experiments with combinations against weaker opponents so as not to have to guess when entering important matches, and the midfield is where this testing process is most intense.

Throughout his 20-year coaching career, he has never entered an official season without clearly identifying who would guard the area just above the back four. The final choice for this position in the 2026/27 season will shape almost the entire playing style of the white-clad team.

The challenge is not only the lack of a Rodri as expected, but also that his move to Camp Nou affects Mourinho's plans. However, the 63-year-old coach has continuously managed by using different central midfield pairs such as Valverde-Camavinga, Silva-Camavinga, Silva-Valverde.

The missing factor in these experiments is Aurelien Tchouameni, who has only played a few minutes in the win over Schalke. Theoretically, the French midfielder is closest to Mourinho's ideal model of a destroyer. He is a physical shield, both stopping the opponent's attacks and initiating play for his team, without necessarily having to execute overly flashy or creative ball handling.

His first minutes of this season in the official match against Espanyol will reveal more about Mourinho's true mindset than any event that has taken place before. That is before we even consider the return of Bellingham and the playing quality that Arda Guler has shown in the friendlies.

Silva is the answer for any tough job

However, by using Silva frequently in early pre-season friendlies, mainly in the deepest midfield position, he considers the 32-year-old a genuine option for the deep-lying playmaker role. In every aspect, Mourinho's compatriot is the closest player to Xabi Alonso or Fabregas with whom he achieved success.

He is a passer who can regulate the tempo as steadily as a clock, knowing how to slow down the game and control the match from the back. This is precisely the control that Real's midfield has lacked for most of the past two years, because Valverde only thrives when given freedom. Meanwhile, Tchouameni is a pure ball-winner like Khedira, and Camavinga has the qualities that meet the Special One's requirements, but lacks consistency.

It is very useful to look back at what Mourinho has actually done with his midfield throughout his nearly three-decade career, because his style has always shown consistency, completely contrary to the notion that he is a highly adaptable coach.

From Porto, his two spells at Chelsea, Inter, his first stint at Real Madrid, to Manchester United, Tottenham, and Roma, all these teams were built on a two-central-midfielder setup in a 4-2-3-1 system, regardless of the tactical nomenclature or the team at that time.

At Chelsea, it was the Fabregas-Matic duo; at Inter, it was Cambiasso rotating with various partners. Sixteen years ago at the Bernabeu, it was Xabi Alonso-Khedira. This is a combination with clear role division that is more relevant than ever at the present time, with Silva regulating the tempo in possession and another player primarily responsible for ball recovery and protecting the space in front of the four-man defense, like Tchouameni.

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