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Real Madrid’s Turkish star Arda Guler delivered one of the most striking responses to Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho after the midfielder was left on the bench for Sunday’s 4-0 rout of Malaga, coming on in the 87th minute and scoring four minutes later.
The 21-year-old attacking midfielder had started Real Madrid’s first two LaLiga matches of the season before Mourinho left him out of the starting XI against Malaga.
Guler had to wait until the closing stages for his opportunity, but he made an immediate impact after replacing Jude Bellingham.
The Turkish midfielder combined with Vinicius Junior before calmly finishing in first-half stoppage time, sealing the win and netting his first goal of the season.
Real Madrid took the lead in the 19th minute when Jude Bellingham finished a solo move to put the hosts ahead. Seven minutes later, Malaga goalkeeper Alfonso Herrero turned the ball into his own net following a scramble in the penalty area, doubling Real Madrid’s advantage.
Kylian Mbappe then made it 3-0 in the 30th minute, finishing a move created by Trent Alexander-Arnold as Real Madrid established a commanding lead before halftime.
Malaga tried to respond after the break, but Real Madrid remained in control. The visitors were awarded a penalty in the 85th minute, although the decision was overturned following a Video Assistant Referee review.
Following Guler’s goal, the match ended 4-0, with Real Madrid securing their third consecutive LaLiga victory and maintaining a perfect start to the season.
The win moved Mourinho’s side to the top of the standings with nine points from three matches, two points clear of Atletico Madrid and Alaves.
In his remarks after the match, Mourinho argued that Real Madrid’s second-half display deserved as much recognition as the three goals scored before halftime, praising the team’s defensive work while acknowledging that its intensity dipped late in the game.
"The most important thing is that people have fun, but if people have a concept of high-level football, they should also enjoy the second half, because we saw a team that worked hard defensively," Mourinho said.
Addressing his rotations, Mourinho stressed that he trusts the entire squad and needs every player during the season. He pointed to Trent Alexander-Arnold starting with Denzel Dumfries on the bench and Marc Cucurella starting with Sergio Carreras among the substitutes as examples of the competition for places.
"I can give signs that I trust everyone and that we need everyone," Mourinho added. "It’s a squad with a lot of quality."
On Guler’s goal, Mourinho highlighted the collective play behind it rather than focusing solely on the Turkish midfielder’s finish. He pointed out that Vinicius Junior chose to pass to Guler instead of taking the chance himself.
"In Arda’s last goal, Vini didn’t want to score and passed the ball to his teammate," Mourinho said. "People embrace, celebrate together, and work together. At the moment, I don’t see any problems with them. The only thing I see is that they’re all excellent."
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