José Mourinho’s second Real Madrid sealed their first victory (1-2) this Saturday in Budapest, a city they had not visited for more than three decades, after the draw they had signed last Saturday against Fiorentina (2-2). The team, still without stars like Mbappé, Courtois, Bellingham, Cucurella, or the newly signed Diomande, was superior in their second friendly against Ferencvaros, who are fighting in the preliminary phase to enter the Europa League this season. At the Groupama Arena, packed with almost 22,000 people on a day when the Hungarian team postponed their third league match to play the friendly, the white club’s football began to run smoothly, guided above all by Güler’s left foot, who lit up corridors that before he touched the ball seemed closed. The Turkish player, who played as an attacking midfielder, was the most differential player in a match decided by goals from youth player Mario Rivas and Carlos Espí, who scored for the first time with Real before Kodro reduced the difference.
Read more Four dead as a helicopter crashes in the Rio de Janeiro jungle
Mourinho started with three youth players, central defenders Mario Rivas and Joan Martínez and winger Ciria. Rüdiger, Huijsen, Bernardo Silva, Espí, Trent, and Vinicius did not enter until the second half, when the defender’s goal had already put Madrid ahead after the team released a barrage of 11 shots in the first 45 minutes.
In all those plays appeared Güler, the oil that greased Madrid’s midfield, formed by Valverde and Camavinga, with Brahim, Ciria, and Endrick. The Brazilian forward, who missed a one-on-one against Dibusz, again left some rushed action in which he got confused, like when he turned more than 40 meters from the goal and unleashed a left-footed shot from an almost impossible position that caused a disapproving gesture from the Portuguese coach on the bench.
Ferencvaros, beyond claiming a penalty for a handball by Dumfries in the 5th minute and Kodro’s goal on an academic counterattack, was unable to hurt or steal the ball from Madrid, who still have two preseason matches left. Before starting the League on August 22 against Espanyol, Real will face Deportivo de A Coruña on the 12th in the Teresa Herrera trophy and will visit Schalke 04 on the 16th, a historic team recently promoted to the Bundesliga.
Read more The ruling party of Hungary proposes jurist András Baka as the new president
Ferencvaros 1 – 2 Real Madrid
Groupama Arena. About 21,500 fans.
Ferencvaros: Dibusz (Varga, 46′); Osváth (Zachariassen, 46′) (Sevikyan, 80′), Gómez (Raemaekers, 46′), Zohoré (Lakatos, 79′), Cadu (O’Dowda, 46′); Rommens (Nagy, 46′), Kanikovszki (Nagy, 46′), Arzani (Corbu, 46′) (Keïta, 70′); Csirkovics (Dele, 46′) (Szabó, 79′), Joseph (Kodro, 46′) (Lisztes, 70′) and Varga (Levi, 46′) (Bagi, 80′).
Real Madrid: Lunin; Dumfries (Trent, 46′), Mario Rivas (Huijsen, 46′), Joan Martínez (Rüdiger, 46′), Carreras (Lamini, 83′); Valverde (Lacosta, 86′), Camavinga (Carlos Espí, 46′); Brahim (Bernardo Silva, 46′), Arda Güler, Alexis Ciria (Vinicius, 46′); and Endrick (Cestero, 64′).
Goals: 0-1. 41′. Mario Rivas. 0-2. 49′. Carlos Espí. 1-2. 57′. Kodro.
Referee: Balázs Berke (Hungary). Booked Szabó for Ferencvaros and Trent for Real Madrid.
Read more How to use special glasses during the total solar eclipse on August 12?
