Real Madrid quartet stand out as Jose Mourinho’s most consistent players this season

Real Madrid quartet stand out as Jose Mourinho’s most consistent players this season Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Marc Cucurella and Yan Diomande have emerged as the only four Real Madrid players to feature in every competitive match before the November international break, making them crucial to Jose Mourinho’s plans. The quartet have all appeared in Real Madrid’s 12 La Liga fixtures and four Champions League matches, but their minutes reveal a clear difference between regular involvement and workload.  On that note, the likes of Mbappe and Bellingham have carried the heaviest responsibilities, while Cucurella and Diomande have contributed through a combination of starts and substitute appearances. Mbappe and Bellingham carry the heaviest workload Mbappe leads the group with 1,428 minutes and is the only one to have started all 16 matches.  He has completed 12 of those 16 games, which shows just how central the French forward has become to Mourinho’s attacking plans.  Bellingham, who is in sensational form this season , follows with 1,305 minutes and 15 starts, having also featured as a substitute on the one occasion he was not named in the starting line-up against Elche. Bellingham has started all but one game for Real Madrid this season. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) Cucurella has accumulated 1,104 minutes through 11 starts and five appearances from the bench.  Diomande, meanwhile, has played 891 minutes, starting nine matches and entering as a substitute in the other seven.  Diomande makes an impact despite fewer minutes Diomande’s contribution in Europe is particularly notable, as he has recorded two assists and one goal in just 177 Champions League minutes, including a goal in Madrid’s 4-1 victory over Leipzig at the Bernabeu.  In fact, during Vinicius’ absence, the former RB Leipzig star performed admirably, forcing Mourinho into a serious rethink once the Brazilian returns to La Liga action after the international break. Similarly, Cucurella’s involvement has also varied considerably. The defender played the entire Madrid derby against Atletico but was introduced only in the 89th minute against Rayo Vallecano.  Cucurella’s time has been distributed as a starter and as a substitute. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) He has appeared in all four Champions League matches and provided an assist in the away fixture against AEK Athens.  His minutes point to a player whose role can change according to the demands of individual matches. Courtois and Valverde narrowly miss the record Meanwhile, Thibaut Courtois and Federico Valverde are the two players closest to matching the quartet’s appearance record.  Courtois has played 1,350 minutes across 15 matches, while Valverde has accumulated 1,181 minutes in the same number of appearances.  Interestingly, both have spent more time on the pitch than Cucurella and Diomande, despite missing one of Madrid’s 16 fixtures.