Real Madrid will begin their official pre-season friendly programme against Italian side Fiorentina on Saturday evening, with Denzel Dumfries set to make his first appearance for the club and Brazil forward Endrick also included in Jose Mourinho’s starting line-up.
The match represents the first serious test of Mourinho’s new project, which is being closely monitored in the Spanish capital. Real Madrid have already played two training matches against Alcorcon and Leganes at their Valdebebas training centre, but the meeting with Fiorentina will provide a more meaningful assessment of the squad’s readiness ahead of the new campaign.
Mourinho, described as the “Special One”, has selected a strong side despite being without five defenders because of injuries and international commitments.
Andriy Lunin will start in goal, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Carreras have been chosen as the right-back and left-back respectively. With Real Madrid facing a shortage of defensive options, young players Juan Martinez and Mario Rivas will form the centre-back pairing.
The midfield will feature the familiar holding combination of Fede Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga. Arda Guler will operate in the playmaker role behind the attack, with Alexis Ciria positioned on the left side.
Dumfries’ involvement is one of the main features of the team selected for the fixture. The new signing is expected to play on the right, although the position is not regarded as his usual role. His appearance will give supporters their first opportunity to see him in a Real Madrid shirt.
Endrick will also make his first appearance for the club in the match. The young Brazilian has been included in the attacking line as Mourinho continues to assess the options available to him before the competitive season begins.
The fixture therefore combines several stages of Real Madrid’s preparations. It is the club’s first formally scheduled friendly of the build-up, offers a debut for Dumfries and Endrick, and gives Mourinho the chance to examine a team affected by defensive absences.
The manager’s decision to turn to Juan Martinez and Mario Rivas at centre-back underlines the extent of the current problem at the back. At the same time, the inclusion of several younger players reflects the broader focus on assessing the squad during the early part of pre-season.
Real Madrid’s previous games at Valdebebas provided opportunities for training and initial match practice, but Fiorentina should offer a stronger indication of how the side is developing. Mourinho will be looking particularly at the balance between the established midfield pairing, the unfamiliar defensive combination and the new attacking options.
The match will also provide the first public indication of how Dumfries can be used within Mourinho’s plans, given that he is being deployed on the right in a role that is not customary for him. With the new season approaching, the Fiorentina game represents an important step in determining the players’ level of preparation and the shape of Real Madrid’s developing team.
