Mourinho insists Guler remains central to Real Madrid plans after Rayo win

Jose Mourinho says Arda Guler remains an important part of his plans for the 2026/27 season after Real Madrid’s 4-1 LaLiga victory over Rayo Vallecano.

Mourinho made several changes for the weekend match at the Estadio Bernabeu, handing Yan Diomande his first start since joining the club over the summer for a record £120M fee.

The Ivory Coast international played 72 minutes before being replaced by Guler. The Turkey international made an immediate impact after coming on, providing the assist for Kylian Mbappe to score Real Madrid’s fourth goal in added time.

Mourinho praised Diomande’s progress after the match but rejected any suggestion that the teenager’s involvement would come at Guler’s expense.

The Portuguese manager said regular changes to his starting XI were unavoidable as he manages his squad across the season.

“Arda plays a big role when he's on the pitch,” Mourinho said. “I'm 100% sure if Diomande hadn't started, the first question would have been, 'Why isn't Diomande playing?'”

He added: “You only see quality on the bench. Changes will happen game by game. Arda has a very positive influence on the team. When he came on, he made a real difference.”

Guler’s late contribution against Rayo Vallecano came after Diomande had made his first start for Real Madrid following his summer move. Mourinho’s comments made clear that the competition for places is being viewed as a consequence of the quality available to him rather than evidence that Guler’s position in the squad has weakened.

The result extended Real Madrid’s successful start to the campaign, with Mourinho using the match to give Diomande an opportunity while still relying on Guler to influence the closing stages.