Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho’s decision to substitute Arda Guler during the match against Real Betis (1-2) has sparked discussion.

Axar.az reports that although the Turkish midfielder was one of his team’s best players in the match, he was taken off midway through the second half. Diamonde came on in his place on the right wing.

According to Spanish outlet AS, Mourinho himself admitted that the decision may have appeared unfair. The Portuguese coach cited the risk of Guler receiving a second yellow card as the main reason for the substitution.

Mourinho said Betis players could have tried to provoke Guler into receiving a second yellow card early in the second half. For this reason, the coach decided not to take the risk.

It should be noted that Guler created more scoring chances than any other Real Madrid player in the match. He created seven chances and won five balls, also making an active contribution defensively. However, Real Madrid’s forwards, particularly Kylian Mbappe, failed to capitalize on those opportunities.