Mourinho openly reveals what Real Madrid are missing

Real Madrid secured another win in a friendly ahead of the new season, but Jose Mourinho is more concerned about another issue than the scoreline. After the 2–1 victory over Ferencvaros, the Portuguese coach spoke about the squad’s lack of depth and singled out Bernardo Silva as an example.

According to Mourinho, players who are not tied to a single position will be crucial during a season affected by injuries and a congested schedule. Bernardo offers exactly this kind of versatility.

Real Madrid return from Budapest with a win

Madrid played a preseason friendly against Ferencvaros in Budapest on August 8. The match ended in a 2–1 victory for Real Madrid.

Mario Rivas opened the scoring in the 41st minute of the first half. After the break, Carlos Espi finished off a move involving Arda Guler and Federico Valverde to double the lead. The Hungarian club pulled one goal back, but Mourinho’s team held on for the win.

The coach admitted that he preferred his team’s first-half performance. After several changes in the second half, the team’s coordinated play deteriorated.

For Mourinho, however, such mistakes can even be useful during the preseason.

In his view, before competitive matches begin, players must understand when to keep possession safely, when to avoid a vertical pass and how to close out a game.

Why is Bernardo Silva so important to Mourinho?

One of the main focuses of the match was Bernardo Silva, one of the new arrivals.

Real Madrid officially announced on June 17 that they had signed the Portuguese midfielder on a two-year contract. The agreement runs until June 30, 2028. Before that, Bernardo had played for Manchester City since 2017.

Mourinho made no secret of the fact that the player’s current physical condition is not yet optimal.

He said Bernardo returned from his holiday in below-ideal condition for preseason training and therefore still needs to build up his fitness. However, the coach rated his footballing qualities very highly.

Most importantly, Bernardo can perform several roles.

Mourinho noted that the Portuguese can play:

— as a No. 6;

— as a central No. 8;

— in the attacking No. 10 role;

— and, if necessary, in several other attacking positions.

Is Mourinho calling for another new signing?

There is an important nuance here.

Mourinho’s statement should not be understood as a direct transfer demand that Real Madrid must buy another player like Bernardo Silva.

His real point concerned the structure of the squad.

“He can play in three or four positions. We want a small squad of around 20 players. We also have players who are injured and will not return in the coming weeks. That is why we need players like Bernardo Silva who can play in several positions.”

In other words, Mourinho’s key word is versatility.

When managing a long season with a small squad, a player’s ability to perform two or three roles becomes especially valuable. It allows the coach to change the lineup without disrupting the system when injuries occur.

Another signal for Real Madrid

Bernardo’s appearance in Budapest was one of his first preseason matches for his new club.

After noticing that the player was lacking physical strength in the second half, Mourinho moved him further forward from central midfield into the No. 10 position. That decision alone shows why the Portuguese is important to the current Real Madrid side: he can change his role even during the same match.

The 32-year-old Bernardo had also stood out at Manchester City for this very quality. He can operate in central midfield, as an attacking midfielder or on the wing, quickly adapting his role to the team’s tactics.

Deportivo test next

Real Madrid’s preseason preparations will continue.

Madrid’s next friendly will be played on August 12 against Deportivo La Coruna. The match will take place at the Abanca-Riazor Stadium in La Coruna. The fixture has also been confirmed on Real Madrid’s official schedule.

For Mourinho, adapting to the team’s new system may be more important than the result in the remaining preseason matches.

The 2–1 win over Ferencvaros showed one thing: Real Madrid have enough quality in their starting lineup, but the season is long. That is why Mourinho wants to build a squad capable of getting several jobs from a single player.

For now, Bernardo Silva is the clearest example of this idea.

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