Report: Dumfries and Arnold... How does Mourinho manage the competition on the right flank?

Denzel Dumfries returns to Real Madrid after the international break, and he enjoys the trust of José Mourinho. However, he also comes back amid a state of fatigue after playing four nearly full matches with the Netherlands, which presents the Portuguese coach with an important challenge in how to manage his appearances in the upcoming period, especially with Alexander Arnold as a direct competitor for the right flank.

According to "EFE", Denzel Dumfries has only missed 10 minutes of the 360 available with the Netherlands during the international break, having started in all four matches. This continuity underscores his importance to the national team, but at the same time, it necessitates careful management of his physical effort, especially as Real Madrid prepares for a series of matches in the upcoming period.

Dumfries received clear support from Xavi Hernández, who included him among the players expected to take on a leadership role in the national team's dressing room during the break, alongside Nathan Aké and Cody Gakpo. The Dutch full-back also made his mark on the pitch, as he appeared in the penalty area against Greece and scored two goals that were disallowed for offside, before participating in the attack that led to the Netherlands' winning goal against Serbia, sending a cross that reached Tijjani Reijnders and ended with a goal from Joshua Zirkzee.

This continuity is also reflected in his position within Real Madrid, as Denzel Dumfries has participated in seven official matches for a total of 505 minutes, compared to 292 minutes for Trent Alexander-Arnold over five appearances. Specifically in LaLiga, Dumfries started five matches and played 415 minutes, while Alexander-Arnold was a starter in two matches for a total of 213 minutes, highlighting a clear advantage for the Dutch full-back in José Mourinho's calculations so far.

Despite Denzel Dumfries' advantage in terms of participation, the competition for the right flank remains unresolved, as each player possesses different characteristics that José Mourinho may need. The Dutch full-back provides his team with the ability to advance and appear in attacking areas, while Trent Alexander-Arnold relies on his passing quality and ability to move inside to participate in build-up play. This gives the Portuguese coach different options depending on the nature of each match.

Mourinho had confirmed last September his desire to keep all players in a state of readiness, stressing the importance of each player feeling useful and getting minutes. This stance gives Arnold the opportunity to maintain competition, despite the clear difference in the number of minutes he has received compared to Dumfries since the start of the season.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has a significant physical advantage due to playing far fewer minutes recently. Before his last match with England against the Czech Republic, he had a total of 382 minutes of participation with both club and country, compared to 855 minutes for Denzel Dumfries, a gap of 473 minutes that could narrow with the English full-back's involvement in his national team's latest match.

Arnold had the chance to showcase himself during the international break, having participated against the Czech Republic and delivering an accurate cross that helped Anthony Gordon score the first goal in the 2-0 win. This keeps him in contention for the right-back position, especially with a lower physical load compared to his Dutch rival.

Mourinho's management of the right flank becomes increasingly important as Real Madrid face a series of five matches leading up to the clásico against FC Barcelona on October 25, which includes encounters against AS Roma, Sevilla, and RB Leipzig. The Portuguese coach will need to balance the benefits of Denzel Dumfries' continuity and his confidence in him with managing the fatigue he returned with from the international break.

In contrast, Arnold enters the next phase with a lighter physical load, possessing different abilities that could grant him more space to participate. Therefore, the competition between the two full-backs remains open, while the distribution of effort and management of minutes will be among the key factors that may determine Mourinho's options on the right flank during the upcoming matches.