The white team won narrowly against Alcorcón (1-0) in a friendly held at the Alfredo Di Stéfano, with a penalty goal from youth player Daniel Yáñez in the 81st minute.
Real Madrid began their journey in the 2026-2027 pre-season with a 1-0 victory over Alcorcón, a Primera Federación team, in a friendly match held this Friday at the Alfredo Di Stéfano in Valdebebas. The match, which lasted only 25 minutes of open broadcast, served as the first test for José Mourinho's charges, who returns to the white bench 13 years later.
The Portuguese coach, who was the last to step onto the pitch, presented a starting eleven with Lunin as captain, accompanied by Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras, Camavinga, Mastantuono, Arda Güler, Gonzalo, and youth players Cestero and Gabri Valero. The chosen system was 4-2-3-1, with Cestero and Camavinga in the double pivot and Güler and Mastantuono alternating positions on the right wing and in the attacking midfield.
The match began with a penalty in favour of Real Madrid in the 1st minute, after a foul on Mastantuono. Arda Güler, who returned this week after his holidays, took responsibility, but his shot was saved by the visiting goalkeeper, who guessed his intentions and dove to the right. The Turk was one of the most active players in the early stages.
The 25 minutes that were broadcast live left few tactical conclusions, beyond Mourinho's bet on the double pivot and the mobility of the attacking players. The white team dominated possession but failed to create clear chances against a well-organised Alcorcón defence. The match was resolved in the 81st minute when youth player Daniel Yáñez converted a penalty, scoring the only goal of the match.
Real Madrid played the last 20 minutes without any first-team players, bringing in several Castilla and youth players. In the stands, Fede Valverde, the first captain after Dani Carvajal's departure, watched the match alongside injured players Éder Militão and Rodrygo. The Uruguayan returned last Wednesday after his national team's elimination in the group stage of the World Cup.
Sami Khedira, a former Real Madrid player and now a member of Mourinho's coaching staff, appeared in the final part of the warm-up and had a relaxed moment joking with Arda Güler before the match began. The German is part of the Portuguese's staff, along with fitness coaches Antonio Pintus and António Dias, and physiologist Sandro Carriço.
Real Madrid's next friendly will be on Saturday, August 1, against Fiorentina at the Wörthersee Stadion in Klagenfurt (Austria). While waiting for the return of the internationals who participated in the World Cup, such as Rüdiger or Dumfries, eliminated in the round of 16, the team will continue their preparations for the league debut, which will be against Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium.
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