Mourinho's Madrid Open Preseason With High-Tempo Test

José Mourinho eased into his first preseason outing with Real Madrid by laying down a clear marker: structure first, sharpness to follow.

Against Alcorcón, in a friendly that offered only a 25-minute glimpse to the media, Madrid lined up in a 4-2-3-1 that said plenty about the coach’s early ideas. Eduardo Camavinga and Cestero anchored the double pivot, tasked with both screening and sparking transitions, while Arda Güler operated as the central playmaker, the No. 10 behind Gonzalo. Valero and Mastantuono patrolled the wings, stretching the pitch and driving at defenders.

At the back, Mourinho went with a notably modern back four. Trent Alexander-Arnold started at right-back, given licence to step into midfield when Madrid had the ball. Huijsen and Asencio formed the central pairing, with Carreras on the left. Andriy Lunin took his place in goal, the last line behind a side still feeling its way into rhythm after the summer break.

The opening stages carried the usual preseason mix: heavy legs, bright ideas, and the odd loose touch. Yet Madrid still carved out the game’s clearest moment. Mastantuono, direct and lively on the flank, won a penalty after driving into the box and forcing a desperate challenge. Güler stepped up, calm and composed, but Alcorcón’s goalkeeper read it and saved, turning away what should have been Madrid’s first goal of the Mourinho era.

The miss didn’t change the pattern. Madrid controlled territory, moved the ball with intent, and pushed Alcorcón back, but the final pass and finish betrayed their lack of match sharpness. The press-only window closed after 25 minutes, with the score still goalless and the performance more about patterns than product.

The first half eventually drifted to a 0-0 conclusion, a reminder that preseason is less about the scoreboard and more about minutes, movement, and muscle memory. For Mourinho, the break offered a natural point to reset and rotate.

Second Half Expectations

The second half is expected to belong to Castilla and the fringe players, those chasing a place in Mourinho’s plans while the established names build fitness. It is in these quiet July friendlies, far from the noise of the Bernabéu, that pecking orders start to form and seasons quietly take shape.