Jose Mourinho faces major Real Madrid defensive crisis as Tchouaméni, Dumfries and academy stars emerge as solutions

The defensive situation at the Santiago Bernabeu has reached a critical point following the recent Madrid derby. Antonio Rudiger currently stands as the only natural first-team central defender available for selection as the squad prepares for the October 10 encounter with Villarreal. Dean Huijsen is set to serve a one-match ban after his dismissal against Atletico Madrid, while Raul Asencio has recently undergone surgery.

According to Marca, Aurelien Tchouameni is the leading candidate to fill the void, a role the French international has successfully occupied during previous injury crises. The manager is also considering Denzel Dumfries as a potential makeshift option. The Dutch international has the raw physical power to adapt to a central role, and Mourinho has already experimented with unconventional defensive setups during the early stages of his tenure.

During a post-match press conference in August following a friendly against Alcorcon, as quoted by Marca, the coach noted he had to pair Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dumfries to “try to find a dynamic that would allow for this type of play.”