AS: Real Madrid's midfield crisis, Alexander-Arnold or Bellingham could fill in

According to Spanish newspaper AS, Real Madrid are short of midfield options, and Mourinho may adjust the formation by using players in midfield roles to cope with the Champions League match against Inter Milan.

AS reported that Real Madrid will be without Bernardo Silva, Guler and Camavinga due to suspensions at that time, while Tchouameni remains unavailable because of injury. Mourinho currently has only Valverde as a truly available midfielder, which could force him to change the tactical system or place players in unfamiliar positions.

Bellingham is one of the alternative options, but Mourinho prefers to use him behind the striker and closer to the penalty area because of his excellent goalscoring ability. Bellingham could also return to midfield, with Brahim Diaz playing as the attacking midfielder, allowing Real Madrid to continue using a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Alexander-Arnold is also an alternative option. Mourinho previously gave him a role that allowed him to make forward runs freely, so a switch to a 4-3-3 system is also possible, with Alexander-Arnold, Valverde and Bellingham forming the midfield. In that setup, Alexander-Arnold would play on the right side of midfield, Bellingham on the left, and Valverde in the center.

AS also stated that Huijsen would be a more adventurous option, as he possesses excellent ball-control ability. Jorge Cestero from Real Madrid's academy is another possibility, especially with Pitarch sidelined for a long period and Manuel Angel leaving the club to join Fulham.

Mourinho knows Huijsen's characteristics well. When the player was at Juventus, Mourinho had previously requested that he be loaned to Roma. Huijsen played as a forward in his early youth-team years before later becoming a center-back.

If Huijsen is deployed in midfield, Real Madrid could improve their ball possession and attacking organization, but the team's ability to build play from the back could also be affected, especially when relying on Rudiger and Konate as the center-back pairing.