Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has praised Arda Guler ahead of the team’s La Liga trip to face Elche.
The Turkish midfielder impressed after coming off the bench in Madrid’s 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.
Guler helped Madrid regain control when Rayo began putting the team under pressure. His performance also highlighted his growing influence in Mourinho’s squad.
Guler Faces Strong Competition at Madrid
Guler does not have a guaranteed starting place at Real Madrid.
Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham remain key members of Mourinho’s regular lineup.
The 21-year-old also competes with record signing Yan Diomande and Brahim Diaz for playing time in the attacking midfield positions.
Despite the competition, Mourinho believes Guler has enormous potential.
“There are people more qualified than me to talk about his development,” Mourinho told reporters.
He praised the midfielder’s physical transformation and his progress since joining Madrid.
Mourinho Highlights Guler’s Quality
Mourinho was particularly impressed by Guler’s ability to influence matches.
“But for me, his quality of play is incredible — his vision, his decision-making, his playmaking, the stability he brings to the team, his creativity,” he said.
Mourinho also pointed to Guler’s impressive statistics.
“For me, he’s a player with fantastic potential who already has some very impressive stats,” the coach added.
Guler joined Real Madrid from Fenerbahce in 2023. Since then, he has continued to develop his game at the Spanish club.
Strong Partnership With Mbappe
Guler has also developed a strong understanding with Kylian Mbappe.
The pair regularly combine effectively on the pitch. Their connection was again visible against Rayo Vallecano.
Guler played a role in Madrid’s fourth goal, which came after another good combination with the French forward.
Mourinho praised Guler but joked that he would avoid excessive praise.
“Maybe I don’t want to go so far as to say ‘top, top, top’ three times, but I can definitely say ‘top, top’,” Mourinho said with a smile.
Mourinho Wants More From Vinicius
While Guler continues to impress, Vinicius Junior is still searching for his best form.
The Brazilian winger has scored only once this season.
Mourinho believes Vinicius can offer much more in front of goal.
“The best version of him is scoring goals,” Mourinho said.
He also praised the winger’s assists, commitment, teamwork and defensive effort.
However, Mourinho wants to see the match-winning version of Vinicius return.
“He’s lacking that top-level performance lately, but I am happy with him,” he said.
Real Madrid Chase Barcelona
Real Madrid currently sit second in La Liga.
They trail leaders Barcelona by three points. Barcelona have won every league match so far and hold a perfect record.
Madrid will now look to close the gap when they face Elche.
Guler could again play an important role as Mourinho looks to maintain Madrid’s title challenge.
