Real Madrid transformed, Mourinho satisfied with one remark

Jose Mourinho speaks highly of Real Madrid's development in the pre-season, expressing confidence that the squad can get even better before facing Espanyol.

Real Madrid is entering the final days of their preparation before the 2026/27 season. After a period of experimenting with the lineup and playing friendlies, Jose Mourinho has begun to step up the intensity of training at Valdebebas in order to get his players in peak condition for the opening La Liga match.

According to journalist Alvaro Esteban, Mourinho is quite pleased with what Real Madrid has shown so far. The Spanish royal club has made significant progress compared to the early stages of the camp, even though the squad has not been fully assembled due to players returning from the 2026 World Cup at different times.

Real Madrid has also used the friendly matches to allow Mourinho to evaluate how well the squad adapts to new tactical demands. The 2-1 victory over Deportivo in the Teresa Herrera Cup was one of the notable test runs, giving the coaching staff further insight to make adjustments before the official season begins.

With just one week left until the match against Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium on August 22, Mourinho has already changed his working approach. Training sessions at Valdebebas have been raised to a higher intensity, combining physical conditioning, tactics, and ball drills.

The latest training session began in the gym before the players moved onto the pitch. There, they performed non-ball physical exercises before shifting to pressing, combination play, dribbling, and finishing. This is considered a crucial transition as Mourinho wants the players to get used to real match intensity.

What is noteworthy is that the Portuguese tactician is not only concerned with physical fitness. He wants Real Madrid to develop a clear playing style, especially in pressing and quick transitions after winning back the ball.

“The team has made significant progress in the summer and still has time to improve further before the season starts”, Mourinho gave a positive evaluation of Real Madrid's preparation process.

However, the manager also has to carefully consider personnel issues. Endrick is training separately due to muscle overload, while Aurelien Tchouameni and Raul Asencio are also following individual programs. Ferland Mendy, Rodrygo, Eder Militao, and Thiago continue their injury recovery processes.

Therefore, Mourinho needs to balance increasing intensity with avoiding further physical problems for the players. Nevertheless, with the current positive signs, Real Madrid is gradually completing their preparations before the first official match against Espanyol.