Jose Mourinho hints at big things as Real Madrid complete unbeaten pre-season

Real Madrid have completed their preparations for the new season unbeaten, with Jose Mourinho saying the squad is already showing signs of becoming a united team ahead of their La Liga opener against Espanyol next week.

Real Madrid recorded three wins during pre-season, beating Ferencvaros, Deportivo and Schalke, while also drawing with Fiorentina. The results have given Mourinho’s side a positive lift before the start of their competitive campaign.

Speaking to the club’s television channel after the victory over Schalke at Veltins-Arena, Mourinho said the team had made encouraging progress both collectively and individually.

The Portuguese manager said his tactical ideas were becoming clearer, although he acknowledged that the players were at different stages of readiness. Those who reported for duty at the beginning of the preparation period had completed about 30 training sessions and six matches, while some of the later arrivals had taken part in only three or four sessions.

Mourinho said the difference in workload explained the variations in rhythm, enthusiasm and endurance across the squad. However, he stressed that Real Madrid were developing well tactically and were making notable progress as a group.

The manager also praised the quality available to him, saying the squad contained players with different levels of ability. At this stage, though, he said his priority was to improve the team as a whole rather than assess individuals separately.

He added that Real Madrid were beginning to operate effectively both with and without the ball.

Mourinho was also positive about the club’s new arrivals, despite the difficulty of adapting quickly to an intensive programme involving two training sessions a day and high temperatures. He said the new players had arrived with the right attitude and a clear desire to become part of the group.

The coaching staff have also been managing the players’ physical workload and playing time carefully. Mourinho explained that decisions over participation were based on scientific analysis of performance data, combined with the experience of the coaching team and each player’s understanding of their own physical limits.

He said those methods had helped Real Madrid reach this stage of the season in good physical condition.

Team spirit growing

After the match against Schalke, Mourinho highlighted the spirit developing inside the dressing room. Some players had chosen to return to training before the date they had originally been given, while others arrived on the final day of the preparation period.

The manager viewed that contrast as evidence of growing commitment and a strong desire to get the new campaign under way.

Mourinho said Real Madrid were beginning to look like one team, with a sense of empathy and togetherness becoming increasingly visible among the players. He added that the enthusiasm was no longer limited to the coaching staff or supporters, but was now being displayed by the squad itself.

He concluded his assessment by declaring Real Madrid ready for their opening match against Espanyol, saying the team was “in very good shape”.

The unbeaten pre-season has created an optimistic mood around the club as Real Madrid prepare to begin their La Liga campaign next week.