A brace that upsets Mourinho's calculations: Spanish journalist says the bench is Vinicius's place

The Spanish media figure said: "Diomande has a wonderful understanding with Cucurella, what a left flank Real Madrid has with the two of them together. When Vinicius plays, Cucurella appears less attacking and struggles more defensively."

Garrido didn't stop at praising the duo. He went further when he touched on Vinicius's anticipated return, arguing the Brazilian winger shouldn't automatically reclaim his starting place. "When Vinicius returns, he must sit on the bench, and on a bench the size of a piano!", he said, a sarcastic jab at the idea of handing him a guaranteed spot in the line-up, according to Defensa Central.

For Garrido, Jose Mourinho must keep the elements that have proven effective rather than reshuffle the line-up simply because a star has returned. Collective harmony, he believes, should be the decisive factor in the coach's choices.

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Garrido went on to praise Real Madrid's upturn under Mourinho, saying: "I don't know what happened in Rome, but Mourinho found a path and kept developing it, and it could bring him good results."

He also leapt to Jude Bellingham's defence. Siding with Mourinho, Garrido felt the Englishman had been short-changed in the Ballon d'Or race, insisting he belongs among the world's top five players at his very best.

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