Madrid, Spain – Spanish press reports have revealed the reason why Portuguese player Bernardo Silva has not yet featured in Real Madrid’s starting lineup. This comes as his compatriot, head coach José Mourinho, has opted for other midfield options during the current 2026–2027 season.
Bernardo Silva joined Real Madrid amidst expectations that he would secure a starting role in the team. However, Mourinho has not yet fielded him in the starting lineup for any matches, raising questions about the reasons for his exclusion.
Bernardo Silva came on as a substitute during the match between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid last Sunday, as part of the seventh round of the Spanish League; he entered the pitch in the 80th minute.
Despite playing only the final minutes, Real Madrid’s attacking performance improved after he came on; however, the team could not avoid a 2–1 defeat against Atlético Madrid.
The Spanish newspaper “AS” explained that Mourinho’s decision not to start Bernardo Silva stems from his desire to keep Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde in the midfield lineup; he does not want to drop either of them to make room for the Portuguese player in the starting XI.
The newspaper noted that Real Madrid is simultaneously facing a leadership void in its midfield. This vacuum arose following the retirement of German player Toni Kroos and the departure of Croatian player Luka Modrić to Milan. Consequently, the coaching staff faces the challenge of reshaping the midfield and redistributing roles among the players.
Real Madrid suffered their second La Liga defeat of the season against Atlético Madrid, following an earlier loss to Real Betis. Consequently, they remain stuck on 15 points in third place in the standings.
In contrast, Atlético Madrid raised their tally to 16 points, moving up to second place in the Spanish league standings.