Brahim Diaz's Reduced Real Madrid Minutes Tied to Muscle Issue

A report in AS says the 26-year-old has been carrying muscle discomfort for several weeks while remaining available to Jose Mourinho.

Brahim Diaz has been managing notable muscle discomfort for several weeks, according to AS, and that physical issue rather than any tactical doubt is behind his sharply reduced role at Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old was already troubled before the Champions League opener against Inter Milan but chose to play anyway. He went on to create Kylian Mbappe's opening goal and set up another chance that Jude Bellingham could not convert after stumbling.

Since that match, his playing time has fallen away. He sat out the game with Rayo Vallecano, came on in the 68th minute against Elche and stayed on the bench for the derby with Atletico Madrid, totaling just 22 minutes across those three fixtures.

Brahim has appeared in back-to-back matches only once this season, against Real Sociedad and Malaga, and has logged 178 minutes in total during the campaign. According to the report, he continues to make himself available despite the problem, though pushing through it risks longer-term damage.

The situation leaves Jose Mourinho balancing the midfielder's willingness to contribute against concerns that the muscle issue could grow more serious.