Why are Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva not starting for Real Madrid vs Roma in the 2026-27 Champions League?

Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva are on the bench for Real Madrid’s Champions League clash against Roma, but the decision has nothing to do with an injury. José Mourinho, back at the Stadio Olimpico where he led Roma to Conference League glory in 2022, has opted for a more physical midfield, leaving the two creative players among the substitutes.

Both were eligible again after serving suspensions, but neither has had much of a role recently. Bernardo started three of Madrid’s first five LaLiga games, but he has played only 8 minutes in the league since Sept. 12, as Mourinho leaned on Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde as his preferred midfield pairing.

Guler is also a victim of a crowded attack. Vinícius Júnior, Yan Diomande and Jude Bellingham start behind Kylian Mbappé, the same trio Mourinho has used in recent matches, and Diomande keeps his place after scoring his first goal for the club in the win over Villarreal.

Madrid have not been convincing since the international break. They edged past Villarreal in a tight game that ended with ten men and they sit six points behind Barcelona in LaLiga. They do arrive in Rome off a 2-1 home win over Inter in their league-phase opener.

Mourinho has not given an official reason for the omissions, so the move reads as a tactical call for a tough away fixture. Güler and Bernardo remain options to change the game from the bench, particularly if Madrid need more control against Gian Piero Gasperini’s back three.

Lineups confirmed

Mourinho goes with a 4-2-3-1. Dean Huijsen drops to the bench, with Ibrahima Konaté and Antonio Rudiger forming the center-back pairing and Denzel Dumfries and Marc Cucurella at full-back in front of Thibaut Courtois.

Real Madrid confirmed lineup: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Rudiger, Cucurella; Tchouaméni, Valverde; Diomande, Bellingham, Vinícius; Mbappé.

Roma line up in their usual 3-4-2-1 and are without goalkeeper Mile Svilar, who is out with a finger injury, so Pierluigi Gollini starts. Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé play behind Donyell Malen, who is free to play in Europe because his red card against Como only carries a Serie A suspension.

Roma confirmed lineup: Gollini; Mancini, N’Dicka, Hermoso; Molina, De Roon, Koné, Wesley; Dybala, Soulé; Malen.