Real Madrid have completed their pre-season without defeat, giving Jose Mourinho’s side a positive platform before they begin their La Liga campaign against Espanyol next week.
The Spanish club won three of their warm-up matches against Ferencvaros, Deportivo and Schalke, while their other fixture ended in a draw with Fiorentina. The unbeaten run has provided encouragement ahead of the competitive season and reinforced the growing optimism around the squad.
Speaking to the club’s television channel after the victory over Schalke, Mourinho said Real Madrid had made progress both collectively and individually. The Portuguese manager added that the team’s tactical ideas were becoming clearer, although the players were at different stages of preparation depending on when they joined the group.
Those who reported for training on the first day of pre-season have completed about 30 sessions and played six matches. By contrast, some of the later arrivals have taken part in only three or four training sessions.
Mourinho said that difference naturally affected the team’s rhythm, enthusiasm and endurance, but insisted that the squad was developing well from a tactical perspective.
The manager also highlighted the quality available to him at Real Madrid. Rather than judging individual players at this stage, however, he said his priority was to improve the group as a whole.
He believes the team is beginning to perform effectively both with and without the ball, an aspect he views as an important sign of progress as the opening La Liga fixture approaches.
Mourinho was similarly positive about the club’s new arrivals. He acknowledged that it is difficult for players to adapt immediately to an intense schedule involving two training sessions each day, particularly in high temperatures.
Despite those challenges, he said the newcomers had arrived with a positive attitude and a clear desire to become part of the squad.
The Portuguese also explained how the coaching staff had managed the players’ physical workload and playing time during the preparation period. Decisions over involvement, he said, were based on scientific analysis of performance data, combined with the staff’s experience and each player’s understanding of their own physical condition.
Mourinho stressed that Real Madrid had reached this point in the season in good physical shape.
After the match against Schalke at Veltins-Arena, he also pointed to the spirit developing within the dressing room. Some players had chosen to return to training before the date scheduled for them, while others arrived on the final day of the training period.
For Mourinho, those actions reflected a rising level of commitment and a strong desire among the players to get started.
He said the squad was beginning to operate as one unit, with mutual support and team spirit becoming increasingly visible. The enthusiasm, he added, was no longer limited to the coaching staff or supporters but was now evident among the players themselves.
Mourinho concluded his assessment by declaring Real Madrid ready for their opening match against Espanyol, saying the team was “in very good shape”.
The club will start the new campaign with confidence after a pre-season in which they avoided defeat in all four matches.
