Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho says he could select Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni together, despite a conflict between the two midfielders last year.
Asked whether pairing the players would make his side too defensive, Mourinho rejected that suggestion and said he wanted his entire squad to remain involved.
“No. We work so that the whole squad is involved, so that every player feels useful and believes they will get playing time,” he said. “That is important because it affects motivation and work.
“It does not always have to be 2+1 in midfield. It can be 1+2. We can play with one ‘six’ and two ‘eights’.”
Mourinho said his decisions would be guided by the team’s overall balance rather than by the characteristics of individual players.
“Regardless of the specific players, there are certain balances, movements and dynamics that do not change much,” he added.
He identified several different midfield profiles available to him, including Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, Bernardo Silva, Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham.
“We try to find the balance without losing our identity, while also thinking about the problems our opponents can cause us,” Mourinho said.
Real Madrid are second in the La Liga table with 12 points after five matches.