Mourinho's Debut
Real Madrid Let a 2-0 Lead Slip Away Against Fiorentina in Klagenfurt
Jose Mourinho’s second stint as coach of Real Madrid kicked off Saturday in Klagenfurt with a 2-2 draw in the team’s first official preseason match against AC Fiorentina!
Kronen Zeitung als bevorzugte Google-Quelle hinzufügen Unlike the Italians, the Madrid side was far from fielding its strongest lineup in front of 30,000 spectators at the virtually sold-out Wörthersee Stadium. Real’s goals were scored by Endrick (12th minute) and 18-year-old Alexis Ciria (24th minute), while Fiorentina came back through Roberto Piccoli (41st minute) and Moise Kean (58th minute).
Real was missing many big names, including star striker Kylian Mbappé, England’s midfield ace Jude Bellingham, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, and forward Vinicius Junior. If no progress is made in the coming days in talks with the latter regarding an extension of his contract—which expires in 2027—he could be transferred, according to media reports. Arsenal is considered a potential suitor. Real’s new signing, Marc Cucurella, was also still on vacation two weeks after winning the World Cup with Spain.
A 2-0 lead wasn’t enough for Real
Federico Valverde led the “Royals” onto the field as captain in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. Before kickoff, there was a minute of silence for former AC Milan defensive leader Franco Baresi, who passed away early Friday morning. Real’s young star Endrick provided the first highlight of the match, beating Fiorentina goalkeeper David de Gea after a pass from Alvaro Carreras. Ciria made it 2-0 following an assist from Eduardo Camavinga, but Piccoli managed to pull one back before halftime.
After a strong first half, Real’s performance dropped off significantly after the break. Italian striker Kean scored the equalizer for the team led by former World Cup champion Fabio Grosso. Both teams departed Klagenfurt immediately after the final whistle. Real will play its next friendly this coming Saturday in Budapest against Ferencvaros; the league opener against Espanyol Barcelona is scheduled for August 22 for the former team of ÖFB captain David Alaba. Fiorentina kicks off two days later against AS Roma.
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