Overview
- José Mourinho formally opened Real Madrid’s preseason and led his first training session with a limited group of senior and Castilla players in a session that began on Monday.
- Mourinho has framed the season as a 'mission' and has personally reviewed reports to handpick academy talents for close assessment during the extended preseason.
- Antonio Pintus will remain as Real Madrid’s general coordinator of physical performance and will work alongside Mourinho, though Spanish reports differ on whether the board imposed that outcome or the two men agreed it.
- Mourinho has completed further backroom moves by bringing in physiologist Sandro Carrico and replacing the first-team goalkeeping coach with Nuno Santos as he finalises his coaching team.
- The changes follow a turbulent run of short managerial spells and signal that Mourinho will test his methods and the club’s institutional structures as internationals return and the season approaches.