Mourinho’s First Sketch of the New Madrid in Preseason
Real Madrid opened their preseason with a low-key but revealing workout against Alcorcón, a first friendly that offered José Mourinho a clear look at his new structure and some of the club’s emerging faces.
Mourinho’s First Sketch of the New Madrid
From the first whistle, Mourinho nailed his colours to a 4-2-3-1. No experiments with back threes, no hybrid systems. A straight line-up, but with a few intriguing names.
Camavinga and Cestero anchored the double pivot, tasked with both shielding and launching. Ahead of them, Güler took up the No. 10 role, operating in the pocket behind Gonzalo and Valero, with Mastantuono stretching play from the wings.
At the back, Alexander-Arnold started at right-back, giving Madrid a natural playmaker from deep on that side. Huijsen and Asencio formed the central pairing, while Carreras patrolled the left. Lunin, as expected, stood in goal.
This was not a token XI. It was a clear first draft of how Mourinho wants his team to breathe.
Early Chance, Early Statement
The opening 25 minutes, open to the press, brought the game’s key moment. Mastantuono, lively and direct, carved out a penalty, driving at Alcorcón’s defence and forcing the mistake.
Güler stepped up. A first preseason goal, a simple narrative, seemed to beckon.
Instead, Alcorcón’s goalkeeper guessed right and saved, turning away the spot-kick and with it Madrid’s best chance of the half. The miss didn’t change the scoreline, but it did add a touch of edge to what might otherwise have been a gentle run-out.
The rest of the half followed the pattern of an early July match: decent tempo, some sharp combinations, and the occasional heavy touch that betrayed legs still waking up from the summer.
Goalless, but Not Meaningless
The first half closed at 0-0, but Mourinho will have seen what he needed. Camavinga’s rhythm in the pivot. Güler’s willingness to demand the ball between the lines. Alexander-Arnold’s starting position and influence from the right. Mastantuono’s ability to win territory and fouls high up the pitch.
Now comes the familiar preseason rotation. Mourinho is expected to turn heavily to the Castilla contingent after the break, a chance for the academy players to soak up serious minutes while the established names build their fitness.
The scoreline may fade quickly from memory. The roles, the partnerships and the hints of hierarchy that emerged in this first friendly will not.
