Real Madrid News
Mourinho gives verdict on Real Madrid’s pre-season progress after Deportivo win: ‘One thing I like is…’
Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho believes his team are continuing to move in the right direction after their 1-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruña secured the Teresa Herrera Trophy.
Brahim Diaz scored the only goal of the match at Riazor, but Mourinho was more interested in what his players gained from a demanding pre-season test than the trophy itself.
Real Madrid were pushed by a Deportivo side returning to La Liga, while the Portuguese manager also used the game to rotate his squad, test different roles and manage the minutes of key players.
Speaking to Real Madrid TV after the final whistle, Mourinho made it clear that the Deportivo vs Real Madrid clash offered a useful picture of where his side currently stands ahead of the new season.
Mourinho explains Real Madrid’s approach against Deportivo
Mourinho described the match as a serious test and praised Deportivo for making life difficult for his players.
“A serious match against a team returning to LaLiga, for whom this trophy holds great tradition, and they gave it their all.
“They forced us to take the game seriously. A complicated, difficult match. I have to make my substitutions; I have to give everyone a chance – I don’t want to give too many minutes to the same players.”
The Real Madrid manager explained that he needed to balance the desire to win with the need to give opportunities and minutes to different members of the squad.
Federico Valverde and Arda Guler, for example, played only 45 minutes as Mourinho continued to manage workloads during pre-season.
“Today, just 45 minutes each for Fede and Arda. This match is here to be won, OK, it’s here to be won, but more than just to win, it’s about working, giving players minutes, testing things out.
“One thing I like is that in a match of this difficulty, with changes to the line-up, but also to formations and roles, the team played to get a result, and we’ll have many matches like this in La Liga, mainly away from home, where you’re not able to kill off the match, and when you do kill it off, you win all the same.
“Lots of positives; the team is growing. Five players are training at Valdebebas who haven’t been here yet – you already know who these five are. We’re taking it step by step, and next week, yes. Next week, for real.”
Real Madrid progressing as pre-season tests get tougher
According to Mourinho, the team has improved across several areas, although the level of opposition has also risen as Real Madrid move closer to the start of their La Liga campaign.
The trip to Riazor provided exactly the kind of competitive environment Mourinho wanted.
Deportivo were playing for a trophy with major local importance, while the atmosphere and intensity made the fixture feel more demanding than a typical summer friendly.
“They’re making progress in every area, but the difficulty of the matches is increasing; that’s how we’ve prepared for them.
“It’s great to come here, with this atmosphere, against this team… we know what summer tournaments are like.
“They mean what they mean to the home side – the tradition, the culture… They wanted their cup, and competing in this way is very good training for us,” he concluded.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid defender takes major step towards comeback; set for return after international break
Real Madrid are finally beginning to see a clear path back for Eder Militao, with the defender now in the final phase of his rehabilitation and increasingly expected to return after the next international break.
Militao has been sidelined since suffering a tear to the proximal biceps femoris tendon in his left leg during the meeting with Alaves last April.
The injury required surgery, but his recovery has now reached a stage where his return can be discussed in more concrete terms.
Militao steps up rehabilitation at Valdebebas
While Real Madrid completed their preparations for Tuesday night’s trip to Elche, Militao was working separately from the main group at the Valdebebas Training Centre.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Brazilian defender carried out specific exercises with the club’s rehabilitation staff and physiotherapists on pitches 1 and 2.
The work represents another step in a recovery process that has kept him away from competitive action for several months.
Mind you, Militao will not be involved against Elche, but the latest signs are considerably more encouraging for what comes next.
Return now expected after international break
The timeline surrounding Militao’s comeback is finally becoming clearer. Provided his recovery continues at its current pace, Real Madrid expect the centre-back to be available to Mourinho once the international break is over.
That break is scheduled to take place from the end of September into the first week of October, meaning Militao could be back by mid-October at the latest.
For a defender who has endured another significant spell on the sidelines, simply having a defined target gives an important moment in his rehabilitation.
Real Madrid still missing players
Militao’s progress is particularly welcome because Real Madrid continue to deal with several absences in the squad.
On that note, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy remain on the injury list and are not expected to return as quickly as Militao.
Both these players are therefore ruled out of the Elche fixture, leaving Mourinho without several established options.
Beyond Elche, though, Militao’s return offers Real Madrid something far more valuable: another experienced defensive option for the demanding weeks ahead.
After surgery and months of rehabilitation, the Brazilian is now entering the final stretch, and if there are no setbacks, Real Madrid could have their defender back in the squad around the middle of October.
