Actual Madrid wrapped up their pre-season with a 3-0 win over Schalke, and ideas have already turned to the La Liga opener in opposition to Espanyol subsequent Saturday.
Los Blancos come out of a pre-season with no single defeat. The early impressions on José Mourinho may hardly be extra constructive, all of the extra so as a result of the coach solely had his full squad at his disposal a couple of days in the past, with the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Thibaut Courtois, Marc Cucurella and Jude Bellingham reporting late.
Their dedication struck Mourinho arduous sufficient that he wished to say so publicly.
“I’m happy with those that arrived late,” the Portuguese instructed Actual Madrid’s channel. “It isn’t straightforward to go straight right into a excessive degree of depth as we work. And it’s not straightforward for them to participate in a double coaching session within the morning and the night, as a result of they prepare within the morning with the group, and within the afternoon with the small group that has simply arrived.”
The identical message circulates contained in the membership, in keeping with Defensa Central. Mourinho has been deeply impressed by the professionalism of the entire squad and the sense of accountability on present, and 4 gamers specifically caught his eye from the second he watched them play their first minutes.
Mbappé, Courtois, Cucurella and Bellingham matter right here for one purpose. All 4 turned up at Valdebebas forward of schedule, slicing brief their holidays to return early.
Mourinho praised the gesture to president Florentino Pérez in particular person, and raised it together with his teaching employees too, calling it a beautiful signal of those gamers’ sense of responsibility.
Technical high quality was by no means doubtful with this group. What Mourinho retains coming again to is the starvation and enthusiasm they confirmed, two issues even he didn’t see coming, and a welcome shock days out from the brand new marketing campaign.
An enormous problem awaits in his second spell on the Bernabéu. Mourinho is aware of it, and that’s the reason he wished to fireplace a message of optimism to the followers as the actual enterprise attracts close to.
