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Real Madrid squandered a two-goal advantage and had to settle for a 2–2 stalemate with Fiorentina on Saturday, giving new head coach José Mourinho plenty of food for thought as the preseason continues.
Even without the services of Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham in Austria, Los Blancos still had a number of first-team regulars available for the friendly, including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Federico Valverde and Arda Güler.
It was the younger players who got things going for Real Madrid, however. Twenty-year-old Endrick broke the deadlock in the 12th minute before Castilla graduate Alexis Ciria, 18, made it 2–0 by the 24th minute.
Then, familiar problems resurfaced for the 15-time European champions. Sloppy defending allowed Fiorentina to level the score on either side of halftime, bringing the tally to 2–2 before the hour mark. As was the case on numerous occasions last season, Los Blancos went quiet in the second half and were unable to claim all three points.
Mourinho got a true taste of the Real Madrid experience and now has a clear picture of what he has at his disposal at the Bernabéu this season.
Trent Alexander-Arnold Outshines Denzel Dumfries
Denzel Dumfries made his first appearance in a Real Madrid shirt on Saturday, somewhat surprisingly being deployed on the right wing. Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, retained his spot on the right flank.
It may be somewhat unfair to assess Dumfries given that he was playing out of position, but even when the Dutchman shifted into a right midfield role, his performance was rather underwhelming. The 30-year-old was dependable defensively and composed in possession, but he offered little going forward and appeared short of match fitness at times.
It was also difficult for Dumfries to make an impression when Alexander-Arnold was dominating proceedings in the first half. Much like his performance against Leganés, the England international delivered a trademark passing masterclass. Whether it was a stunning long ball finding its intended target or a clever flick with the outside of his boot to set up Ciria's goal, Alexander-Arnold was precisely the creative force Real Madrid needed him to be.
The former Liverpool man was given the freedom to roam, regularly drifting into midfield to get more involved in his side's build-up play. Alexander-Arnold also came to life on the counter-attack, giving supporters a genuine glimpse of what he can offer when fully fit.
He could have done more to prevent Fiorentina's second goal, but that is the trade-off that comes with playing Alexander-Arnold in that role. It will be fascinating to see in the weeks ahead whether Mourinho is comfortable with that arrangement, or whether he opts for Dumfries to take charge of the right flank.
Endrick Stakes His Claim
👉🛡️ @Endrick pic.twitter.com/lpxqcsfaTK
Two days ago, Real Madrid reportedly reached an agreement to sell Gonzalo García to Fulham, clearing the path for Endrick to serve as Kylian Mbappé's understudy. However, just hours later, the club brought in 21-year-old forward Carlos Espí from Levante.
All of a sudden, Endrick faced fresh competition that threatened to push him further down the depth chart. With the pressure on, the Brazilian wasted no time in showing Mourinho why he deserves to be the manager's go-to option from the bench next season.
It took Endrick just 12 minutes to get his name on the scoresheet. He signaled to Álvaro Carreras exactly where he wanted the delivery, adjusted his run, took a single touch and then drilled the bouncing ball into the bottom right corner.
Beyond his clinical left foot, Endrick also brought an impressive work ethic to the friendly. Unlike the club's typical starting attackers, he pressed relentlessly and tracked back defensively — qualities that Mourinho surely did not miss.
Espí later came on for a brief late appearance, but the striker struggled to make any real impact during his 15 minutes on the field. He managed only six touches and registered a single shot.
Young Stars Produce Mixed Results
With so many of Real Madrid's first-team players still on holiday following the World Cup, a number of youngsters were handed the opportunity to impress against Fiorentina. Real Madrid Castilla standout Ciria seized his moment, driving a right-footed effort into the net to double his side's advantage in the first half.
Fellow teenager Mario Rivas, 19, did not enjoy the same fortune. The center back was directly involved in both of Fiorentina's goals; his poor positioning allowed Roberto Piccoli to pull one back, and he then completely lost track of Moise Kean inside the box, enabling the substitute to get a free header and level the score.
A lack of cover from Carreras only compounded the problems. As was the case repeatedly last season, the left back was caught ball-watching, barely moving as Álex Jiménez played a pass to release Piccoli. Carreras then jogged back casually, watching on as Piccoli completed his finish.
The silver lining is that World Cup winner Marc Cucurella will soon take over on the left side. The concern, however, is that Real Madrid's center back issues remain very much unresolved.
Mourinho, who was without a single senior center back for Saturday's match, may well be tempted to enter the transfer market in search of a dependable defender to strengthen a squad that is riddled with injury-prone and unconvincing options at the back.