Mourinho's blacklist at Real Madrid grows, three names already on it

José Mourinho  is once again making headlines at Real Madrid as he has put Trent Alexander-Arnold, Denzel Dumfries, and Thiago Pitarch in a complicated situation regarding the future of the merengue team. The Portuguese coach is defining his starting eleven, and the three players have lost prominence in recent weeks. Both full-backs have seen Fede Valverde surpass them in the coach's preferences, while the homegrown player has yet to make his debut this season.

The situation is starting to raise questions about the future of these three players in sports. Although there is no official decision yet regarding possible departures, the recent line-ups make it clear that none of them are guaranteed participation.

👀 ➡️ José Mourinho: "Fede Valverde on the RIGHT FULL-BACK position hurts me..." ❌ "Having to leave out two players to play with him on the wing" 😅 "We're back to the MERITOCRACY story... I need something to measure it because I'm VERY happy with the team" https://t.co/H9vhLQwCuU

— The Crossbar (@ellarguero) October 21, 2026

José Mourinho loses confidence in his two right-backs

The cases of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Denzel Dumfries are particularly significant due to the investment made to strengthen the right-back position. Both arrived in the last two summers but have failed to secure a regular starting position.

The Dutchman came from Inter Milan for around €20 million, while the Englishman's signing represented another financial commitment for a position that continues to raise doubts.

Until the international break in October, Dumfries had played 505 minutes, compared to 292 minutes for Alexander-Arnold. Although the Dutch player started with an advantage, Mourinho's subsequent decisions have changed the landscape.

The main consequence has been the emergence of Fede Valverde as the right-back. The Uruguayan began playing in that position in the second half against Villarreal, started against Sevilla, and occupied it again against RB Leipzig. Mourinho sentences Alexander-Arnold at Real Madrid.

The choice is significant because José Mourinho has two specialists for that role. However, he has preferred to move a midfielder rather than maintain a rotation between both signings.

The Leipzig match, played on October 21, confirmed this trend. Both Alexander-Arnold and Dumfries started on the bench while Valverde once again took his place on the right side of the defense.

Thiago Pitarch also struggles to find a place at Real Madrid

The third case is that of Thiago Pitarch, a 19-year-old midfielder who had joined the first team dynamics last season.

The player played 438 official minutes with the senior team last season but has yet to feature in any first-team matches in the 2026/2027 season.

His situation is also influenced by a knee injury that prevented him from completing the preseason. During September and October, he played games with the Castilla team to regain competitive rhythm, although he continues to be included in Mourinho's matchday squads.

Competition in the midfield does not favor his chances. Players like Jude Bellingham, Arda Güler, Bernardo Silva, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and Eduardo Camavinga are ahead in the rotation.

El Clásico will determine Mourinho's next moves

The next test will come on October 25 when Madrid visits FC Barcelona. If José Mourinho keeps Valverde in the right-back position, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Denzel Dumfries could once again find themselves out of the starting lineup.

For Thiago Pitarch, the immediate goal will be to earn his first minutes with the first team. His progress in November will determine whether Mourinho expands his opportunities or if the club needs to consider another solution to aid in his development.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La lista negra de Mourinho en el Real Madrid crece, ya hay tres nombres