Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Diaz says the club are determined to keep winning under new head coach Jose Mourinho as preparations for the 2026-27 season begin.
The Morocco international has recently returned to the club’s training base and is already working with the squad ahead of the new campaign. Diaz spoke about his first impressions of Mourinho’s methods and the demands being placed on the players during the early stages of their work together.
“We want to keep winning with him,” Diaz said, outlining the team’s attitude towards the arrival of the new manager.
The midfielder said Mourinho expects the highest level of commitment from the squad. He also highlighted the coach’s message that players should use their individual qualities in the interests of the team.
That emphasis on combining personal ability with collective responsibility has been central to Diaz’s early assessment of Mourinho’s approach. The new head coach is demanding maximum effort from his players while encouraging them to make the most of their own strengths for the benefit of Real Madrid as a whole.
Diaz has now joined the club’s preparations, with Real Madrid’s pre-season schedule including three friendly matches. They will face Ferencvaros, Deportivo and Schalke as they build towards the start of the new Spanish championship.
The first of Real Madrid’s competitive fixtures in the new league season will take place on 22 August. They will begin their campaign away from home against Espanyol.
For Diaz, the opening weeks of training provide the first opportunity to adapt to Mourinho’s expectations before those matches arrive. His comments indicate that the squad has responded positively to the manager’s demands and shares the ambition to continue collecting trophies with him in charge.
The midfielder’s remarks also underline the balance Mourinho is seeking from the team: intense commitment from every player, coupled with the freedom to apply individual qualities when they can help the collective effort.
Real Madrid’s three scheduled friendlies against Ferencvaros, Deportivo and Schalke will form the main part of their preparation for the new season. Those fixtures will come before the trip to Espanyol on 22 August, when the club’s competitive campaign officially begins.
Mourinho’s first period in charge will therefore be judged initially through the team’s work during pre-season and its response to the opening league fixture. Diaz, who has recently arrived at the training base, has made clear that the players’ objective is to continue winning under their new head coach.
