JuicyTalk
Real Madrid began their preparations for the new season with a behind-closed-doors friendly against Alcorcon at Valdebebas, less than a month before their La Liga opener away to Espanyol.
Supporters were allowed to watch the warm-up and the opening 25 minutes of the match at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium, offering a first glimpse of Jose Mourinho’s new-look side in action.
Goalkeepers Andriy Lunin, Fran Gonzalez and Sergio Mestre were first onto the pitch, working with goalkeeping coach Nuno Santos, before the rest of the squad followed under the guidance of fitness coaches Antonio Pintus and Antonio Dias.
Former Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira, now part of Mourinho’s coaching staff, joined later in the warm-up and was seen sharing a light-hearted moment with Arda Guler before kick-off.
Mourinho emerged shortly before the game and named his first starting XI since returning to the Santiago Bernabeu. Lunin captained the side, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Raul Asencio, Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras forming the defence.
Eduardo Camavinga and youngster Cestero operated in midfield, while Franco Mastantuono, Arda Guler and Gonzalo Garcia supported the attack.
World Cup stars watch on
Watching from the stands was new club captain Fede Valverde, who returned to training earlier this week after Uruguay’s World Cup exit. He was joined by injured pair Eder Militao and Rodrygo.
Guler had an early chance to open the scoring after Mastantuono won a penalty inside the opening minute, but the Turkey international saw his spot-kick saved.
The opening stages suggested Mourinho is set to use a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Camavinga and Cestero sitting in the double pivot while Guler and Mastantuono regularly rotated positions behind the striker.
Real Madrid eventually secured a 1-0 win thanks to academy forward Daniel Yanez, who converted a penalty in the 81st minute after Mourinho had introduced an entirely youthful outfield side for the closing stages.
Several players are still due back from post-World Cup breaks, including Antonio Rudiger and Denzel Dumfries, while Madrid’s next pre-season fixture will come against Fiorentina on August 1 at the Worthersee Stadion in Klagenfurt, Austria.
