José Mourinho Freezes Out Two Real Madrid Stars, Including One Surprise Name

Real Madrid have endured an underwhelming start to the current campaign. Los Blancos stumbled in defeats against Real Betis (0-1) and city rivals Atlético Madrid (1-2), allowing Barcelona to quickly build an early lead at the top of the table. Unsurprisingly, the Portuguese tactician has made no secret of his frustration with the performances of several squad members.

According to reputable outlet The Athletic, the 63-year-old manager no longer includes two players in his plans. In the case of Raúl Asencio, the decision has hardly raised eyebrows. The young centre-back has suffered a steep dip in form alongside off-pitch controversies, slipping well behind Ibrahima Konaté, Dean Huijsen, Antonio Rüdiger, and the recovering Éder Militão in the pecking order.

However, the second omission has sparked considerably more surprise. José Mourinho reportedly has no place in his plans for goalkeeper Andriy Lunin either. The Ukrainian shot-stopper had previously proved to be a reliable deputy when regular number one Thibaut Courtois was sidelined. Neither of the discarded players has played a single minute this season, and their situation is unlikely to change anytime soon.

Real Madrid return to competitive action on October 10 at 9:00 PM CET when they host Villarreal. Four days later, they travel to the Italian capital for a Champions League clash against an in-form AS Roma.