Mourinho Critical of Silva's Form: He Must Improve His Fitness
The Portuguese midfielder made his debut for Real Madrid in a 2-1 win over Ferencvaros, but his compatriot on the bench was not entirely satisfied with what he saw.
The Portuguese midfielder made his debut for Real Madrid in a 2-1 win over Ferencvaros, but his compatriot on the bench was not entirely satisfied with what he saw.
Bernardo Silva finally donned the Real Madrid jersey, but his debut in the friendly against Ferencvaros did not escape criticism from the bench. Although the 31-year-old said after the match that he felt "very happy" to have had the chance to play for the Royal Club, coach Jose Mourinho publicly called out his physical condition.
After Real Madrid celebrated a 2-1 victory in Budapest, Mourinho was blunt on the club's TV channel. "He is one of those who psychologically benefits from doing absolutely nothing during the break, and he arrived at preseason in significantly worse physical shape. He needs to improve that," said the Portuguese tactician.
Silva entered the game at halftime, replacing Brahim Diaz. At that point, Real was already leading with a goal from young Mario Rivas, and Carlos Espi extended the lead to 2-0 in the 49th minute. The Hungarian champions' consolation goal came from Kenan Kodro.
Despite the criticism of his fitness, Mourinho did not hold back praise for Silva's versatility. "The 31-year-old is a great player who helps us build play when he plays deeper, for example as a six or an eight. During the match, I noticed he lacked a bit of physical strength, so I moved him forward into the number ten role. He can play there too. He can be used in three or four positions," Mourinho explained.
Silva arrived at Real this summer as a free agent after his contract with Manchester City expired. In nine years with the English club, he made over 300 competitive appearances, and he signed a contract with the Madrid club until 2028. The news of his debut and his comments was also shared by transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano on his Telegram channel.
This was Real's first win in the preseason, following a 2-2 draw with Fiorentina at the beginning of August. Their next tests come on Wednesday, August 12, against Deportivo A Coruña, and on Sunday, August 16, against Schalke 04. They open their competitive season on August 22 with an away match against Espanyol in Barcelona.
