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Real Madrid News Real Madrid manager identifies best position to maximise star midfielder’s output Jude Bellingham was one of Real Madrid’s few standout players in last night’s win over Espanyol and even scored the team’s opening goal on the night. The Englishman was seemingly everywhere in the final third and made a menace of himself to the hosts’ defence, making it clear that Jose Mourinho has cracked the code to bring the best out of him. Needless to say, the key was simply following the same dynamic that made Bellingham shine at the FIFA World Cup – handing him attacking freedom with limited defensive and buildup responsibility. Mourinho cracks the code As reported by MARCA in a recent report, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho believes that the Englishman’s best position is behind the forwards as a link-up player with the attackers. He sees Bellingham as a player who has all the required qualities to attack the final third and score, and thus wishes to maximise the output. Mourinho understands that fielding Bellingham as a traditional number 6 or number 8 severely diminishes his output and takes him away from the danger zones on the field. All efforts, thus, will be made to keep him close to the opposition goal. In the hunt for the right pivot With Bellingham set to play right behind the forwards as a floating attacking midfielder, the Englishman’s defensive output will take a severe hit. What that implies is that there is a need for a very defensively solid pivot. The selection, thus forces Mourinho into a dilemma over what the best combination is for the defensive midfield. After all, he has several individuals who can feature in the department but no single standout pairing. Federico Valverde and Bernardo Silva started as the double pivot in Real Madrid’s league opener, but the manager also has Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga as options to count on. There will, thus, be active efforts to zero in on the best possible variation in the coming weeks so as to keep the team defensively solid while retaining the attacking explosiveness. What is clear, however, is that Bellingham will have no business in the deep midfield under Jose Mourinho. Real Madrid News Jose Mourinho keeping close eye on Real Madrid academy – report There is a lot of expectation riding on what Jose Mourinho can do in his second stint as manager at Real Madrid. The Portuguese tactician has been heavily backed in the summer transfer window, with Real Madrid bringing in as many as six players to bolster the squad. Mourinho has managed to get the troops to rally around him and enjoyed a winning start to La Liga, with a 2-1 win against Espanyol. However, it looks like Jose is keeping a keen eye on more than just the first team. According to journalist Alvaro Esteban, Mourinho is paying close attention to Real Madrid’s academy as he continues to assess the options available to him beyond the senior squad. Mourinho monitoring academy matches Mourinho regularly watches matches involving different Real Madrid youth teams, suggesting the academy could have a genuine role within his plans. There is even a possibility that Mourinho could attend one of the academy’s matches at Valdebebas in person. It is an interesting detail because Mourinho has inherited a Madrid squad packed with established internationals and strengthened by several significant signings this summer. However, that apparently has not stopped him from looking further down the club’s structure for players capable of helping his team. Opportunities could emerge Mourinho’s interest does not guarantee that academy players will suddenly receive major first-team minutes. Competition within the senior squad remains extremely strong. However, being watched closely by the first-team coach is already important for Madrid’s youngsters. Strong performances could potentially earn players opportunities in training, particularly during periods when injuries or a congested schedule reduce Mourinho’s options. Players like Alexis Ciria have already made such an impression during pre-season and could be one of the names to keep an eye on. The Portuguese coach has also never been afraid to reward a player when he believes that player can fulfil a specific tactical role. La Fabrica’s value That could make La Fabrica particularly valuable over a long season. Madrid do not necessarily need every academy prospect to become an immediate starter. Finding one or two players capable of providing reliable depth would already represent a significant success. The club have invested heavily in their squad, but the pathway from Valdebebas should remain open. Academy players can provide solutions that are difficult and expensive to find in the transfer market. It remains to be seen just how much the academy is involved in Mourinho’s plans as he begins his new project at Madrid.