“He's a very important player for us, but when he goes on vacation, he likes to disconnect completely, he doesn't do any work.” José Mourinho said that about Bernardo Silva, and the line sits awkwardly next to the midfielder's recent usage at Real Madrid. Silva has not started a match since 12 September against Rayo Vallecano. His only appearance since then was an eight-minute outing in the Madrid derby.
Mourinho's public backing
Mourinho has not stopped talking up Silva in public. He also said the midfielder “arrived for preseason with much lower physical fitness, and he has to improve.” That leaves the picture in an odd place, because the manager's words still frame him as a key player while the selection calls have moved the other way.
Silva has only 6 Real Madrid appearances this season and 110 minutes across his last five club appearances. A 6.66 rating is not the sort of number that screams disaster, but it does not override the fact that he has slid out of the starting XI and into the margins of matchday squads.
Why the midfield fit is under strain
The original idea was to use Silva in midfield alongside Federico Valverde in a double pivot. Marca's account suggested the pairing was supposed to add structure, but it did not work out. Real Madrid have since leaned on Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Eduardo Camavinga ahead of him.
That is part of the issue. Silva was also considered in a more advanced role, closer to the penalty area, but that has barely happened and has mostly meant brief cameos off the bench. The role has not taken hold, and the current shape keeps him without an obvious lane back into the team.
The wider numbers point the same way. Across Portugal's four Nations League victories, Silva played just seven minutes. One outlet described him as having “vanished,” while another pointed to a month in which he made only 15 minutes of club-and-country appearances. However it is framed, the conclusion is the same: Mourinho is still defending him, but he is using him far less.
Real Madrid are fourth in La Liga and already six points behind Barcelona, so the margin for a muddled midfield decision is not huge. If Silva is going to push back into the side, the next chance to change the mood will have to come from actual minutes, not just another public line from Mourinho.
FAQ
Why is Bernardo Silva playing so little for Real Madrid?
Mourinho says Bernardo Silva is still a very important player, but the minutes point the other way. He has not started since 12 September against Rayo Vallecano, his only appearance since then was eight minutes in the Madrid derby, and he has only 6 Real Madrid appearances this season.
Is Mourinho still backing Bernardo Silva publicly?
Yes. Mourinho has described Bernardo Silva as “a very important player for us” and also said he “arrived for preseason with much lower physical fitness, and he has to improve.” The public backing remains, even though the selection trend has moved away from him.
Has Bernardo Silva also been short of minutes for Portugal?
He has. Across Portugal's four Nations League victories, Bernardo Silva played just seven minutes, and the same month also included only two Portugal appearances in that cycle. The reduction at club level and international level has gone in the same direction.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
