Real Madrid 1-0 Alcorcón: Mourinho changes the system and wins with a goal from Yáñez
José Mourinho has started his second stage at Real Madrid with a narrow victory.
The white team defeated Alcorcón 1-0 in the first test of the preseason, held at the Alfredo Di Stéfano stadium. Daniel Yáñez decided the match in the 81st minute, after the Madrid team had failed to score for a good part of a test used to distribute minutes and begin to introduce the new model of the Portuguese coach.
The result was secondary, but the match left several clues: the return to 4-2-3-1, the use of Arda Güler as an attacking midfielder, and a significant presence of youth players due to the absences of numerous internationals.
Yáñez scores the first goal of the new Real Madrid under Mourinho
Daniel Yáñez scored the only goal of the match with nine minutes remaining.
The youth player took advantage of one of the offensive actions in the second half to surpass Alcorcón and prevent Mourinho's re-debut from ending without goals. The goal confirmed the prominence that the young players had during a friendly affected by the short preparation and the absences accumulated after the World Cup.
Yáñez thus became the first goalscorer for Real Madrid since the return of the Portuguese coach.
Arda Güler misses a penalty
Real Madrid had the opportunity to take the lead during the first half.
Mastantuono was brought down inside the area and Arda Güler took the penalty. The Alcorcón goalkeeper guessed the direction and saved the penalty, keeping the score level before halftime.
The miss did not prevent Güler from being one of the most watched players. Mourinho placed him inside, close to the forward, in a position that can increase his involvement in the build-up and in the final pass.
Mourinho recovers the 4-2-3-1
The main tactical novelty appeared from the start.
Mourinho employed a 4-2-3-1, one of the most recognizable systems of his career. Camavinga and Cestero formed the double pivot, while Güler acted as an attacking midfielder behind Gonzalo. Valero and Mastantuono occupied the wings.
In defense, Alexander-Arnold started at right back, Huijsen and Asencio formed the center-back pair, and Carreras occupied the left side. Lunin was the starting goalkeeper.
The formation represents a change from the 4-3-3 usually used during the previous stage and returns the team to a structure with a defined attacking midfielder.
The first lineup of Mourinho
The first formation used by Mourinho was composed of Lunin; Alexander-Arnold, Huijsen, Asencio, Carreras; Camavinga, Cestero; Valero, Güler, Mastantuono; and Gonzalo.
The presence of several youth players responded to the numerous absences of the first team. Many internationals had not yet joined after playing in the World Cup or had accumulated few training sessions.
The coach distributed minutes during the second half and continued testing players from the youth academy.
Mastantuono and Güler, on the inside
The friendly allowed observing the relationship between Mastantuono and Güler.
The Argentine started from the wing but sought interior areas and caused the missed penalty by the Turkish international. Both can compete for similar positions, although Mourinho seems willing to try them together during the preparation.
Güler is among the players who have attracted the most attention from the coaching staff during the first training sessions. His position as an attacking midfielder allows him to play closer to the area and reduce his defensive obligations on the wing.
Camavinga returns to the midfield
Mourinho used Eduardo Camavinga as one of the two defensive midfielders.
The Frenchman shared the double pivot with Cestero and had the mission of facilitating ball progression, closing spaces, and supporting the full-backs' incursions. The decision indicates that the coach initially considers Camavinga as a midfielder and not as a regular solution for the left-back position.
The new system requires that the two players in the double pivot maintain balance when the four offensive players attack.
Khedira, Mourinho's trusted person
Sami Khedira is already working as a member of the coaching staff.
The former player knows Mourinho, the club, and part of the internal culture of the locker room. His presence is interpreted as a bridge between the coach, the players, and a squad facing significant changes after a season without titles.
Khedira coincided with Mourinho during the Portuguese's first stint at Real Madrid.
A closed-door friendly
The match was played without an audience and with limited access for the media.
Only part of the session could be observed by journalists. The club treated the match as a training test rather than a conventional preseason friendly.
The decision allowed Mourinho to start working on tactical movements without exposing his initial instructions throughout the entire match.
The upcoming friendlies of Real Madrid
The match against Alcorcón opens a preseason in which Mourinho intends to accelerate physical and tactical preparation.
Real Madrid has other preparation matches scheduled against Leganés, Fiorentina, Ferencváros, and Deportivo de La Coruña, with the possibility of adding a match against Schalke 04.
The internationals will join progressively and will completely modify the competitive level of the team.