Mourinho praises 'incredible' Guler amid battle for minutes

Real Madrid's coach Jose Mourinho commended young Turkish midfielder Arda Guler on Monday, ahead of the team's upcoming La Liga match against Elche. Guler, who came on as a substitute in Madrid's 4-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano, demonstrated his value to the team when they were struggling under pressure. Despite being in a battle for minutes with other midfielders such as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Brahim Diaz, Guler's performance caught Mourinho's eye.

Mourinho praised Guler's impressive vision, decision-making, playmaking abilities, and the stability he brings to the team. He acknowledged that there are others more qualified to comment on Guler's development, but for him, the 21-year-old displays fantastic potential. Guler has already shown impressive stats and has a strong connection with the French forward Kylian Mbappe.

Mourinho, however, cautioned against overexaggerating his praise for Guler, stating that while he considers him "top, top," he is not ready to call him "top, top, top." The Portuguese coach also addressed Vinicius' lackluster form, acknowledging that although the Brazilian winger is important for his teamwork and commitment, he is not performing at his best level recently. Madrid currently trails La Liga leaders Barcelona by three points.