Mourinho plots surprise tactical move with Real Madrid captain for El Clasico

Mourinho plots surprise tactical move with Real Madrid captain for El Clasico According to MARCA , Jose Mourinho is considering an unconventional tactical plan for Real Madrid’s El Clasico against Barcelona on Sunday, with Federico Valverde and Denzel Dumfries potentially operating together on the right flank. The proposed setup would see the Real Madrid captain slot in as the right-sided winger allowing him to attack with greater freedom down the flank, building on his recent impressive performances at right-back. Valverde has started at right-back in Real Madrid’s recent victories over Sevilla and RB Leipzig, both of which ended 4-1. His display against Leipzig, in particular, has strengthened the case for Mourinho to retain the experiment against Barcelona , even with specialist right-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dumfries available. Valverde’s move to right-back has transformed his influence The turning point came against AS Roma, when Real Madrid were trailing 3-1 at the Stadio Olimpico. Mourinho moved Valverde to right-back, and Real Madrid eventually fought back to win. The coach subsequently repeated the formula against Sevilla and Leipzig, with similarly convincing results. Excelling in his new role on the right flank. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) Valverde has previously gone on record about not being entirely comfortable playing at right-back. However, his latest performances suggest the position is allowing him to make a greater impact on matches. Against Leipzig, the Merengues’ captain registered 116 touches, more than double his total in several earlier fixtures this season. He had recorded just 37 touches in the derby defeat against Atletico Madrid and 52 against Villarreal, illustrating how his involvement has increased since moving to the flank. The role has also brought out some of his strongest qualities. The Uruguayan recorded three successful dribbles and five recoveries against Leipzig, alongside three progressive carries. He also led the team for clearances, tackles and progressive passes, with 11 in the latter category. Mourinho weighs double right-back option with Dumfries The numbers help explain why Mourinho is considering taking the experiment a step further against Barcelona. Dumfries could offer defensive security allowing Valverde to flourish going forward. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) Rather than simply deploying Valverde as a conventional right-back, the coach is weighing up a setup featuring both the Uruguayan and Dumfries on the same flank. The idea would be to give Valverde the freedom to surge forward and exploit the space down the right, while Dumfries provides an additional option in the wide defensive channel. Such an arrangement could also help Real Madrid maintain their attacking threat without asking Valverde to operate as a traditional full-back throughout the match. The appeal of the tactical switch is clear: Valverde is more dangerous when he can accelerate into open space, rather than being restricted in a deeper midfield role. Pairing him with Dumfries on the right flank could preserve that attacking freedom while offering additional defensive coverage for the team. Whether Mourinho does decide to pull the trigger on it remains to be seen.