Mourinho begins his second term with Real Madrid with a hard-fought victory

Real Madrid started the preparation period for the 2026-2027 season with the game The first friendly match under new coach Jose Mourinhowhich came out against Alcorcon in the “Alfredo di Stefano” stadium, empty of fans.

Under 33 degrees Celsius, Real Madrid won with a clear goal. The result was a goalless draw when the first team players left the pitch in the 70th minute before victory was secured thanks to a penalty kick goal from the club’s La Fábrica academy eleven and youngster Yanez.

Mourinho did not present any major surprises in his starting line-up; He had ten starters and started nine of them. The only absentee was Fede Valverde, who watched the match from the stands having only played two training sessions since joining on Wednesday, with Eder Militao and Rodrigo present alongside him to support the team.

On the contrary, Arda Güler started the match, although he only joined training on Monday. He led the midfield alongside Lunin as goalkeeper (and captain), with Alexander-Arnold, Asensio, Huysen and Carreras in defence, Sestero in centre, Camavinga and Guler in midfield, Mastantono at right winger, Gonzalo in attack and Jabri Valero at left wing.

Mourinho only entered the field 10 minutes before kick-off to watch the warm-up calmly as he contented himself with touching the turf and the ball before going back to his stride.

The cameras focused more on the Portuguese than the match itself to monitor his reactions and emotions in his first appearance with the Valdebebas after a 13-year absence as he wore a pink coaching uniform, his gray hair graying over the years. The Portuguese looked calm and very much in control as he only left the bench once in the first 20 minutes to give some instructions in a low voice before returning to his seat.

On the field, “Real Madrid” started the match with a strong start. Just 51 seconds later, Mastantuno was awarded a penalty for a challenge on the right wing. Guler quickly latched on to the ball and struck it to thwart his team-mate Gonzalo’s wish, but he was unable to convert after the keeper successfully blocked it to mark the opening minute and a half of Mourinho’s second half.

The tempo of the meeting gradually decreased. The next 15 minutes saw no dangerous chances. Mastantuno emerged as the best performer, in addition to Sestero’s personality and Gonzalo’s desire to prove himself, so the first-half chatter ended goalless and without a fully convincing finish in a tactical approach based on organization and high pressure.

After the 20th minute a media blackout began, the press was evacuated from the stadium and live coverage on the club’s official channel was interrupted. However, Guler looked to make up for the missed penalty with dynamic play and betting, while Mastantuno continued to spearhead the team’s dangerous attacks.

As the 70th minute approached and the scoreline pointed to a goalless draw, Mourinho made a complete change, withdrawing all first-team players and bringing on academy players. The decision came via a second penalty kick, which Yanez successfully netted amid protests from Alcorcon’s technical staff against the referee’s decision, so the game ended with a clean sheet for Real Madrid.