Real Madrid kept their pre-season momentum rolling on Saturday, August 8, grinding out a 2-1 win over Ferencvaros at the Groupama Arena in Budapest. It was another encouraging step for Jose Mourinho as he continues shaping his squad ahead of a new era at the Santiago Bernabeu, with a youthful lineup once again doing the business without several of the club’s biggest names.
A Statement Result Without the Stars
This was as clear a sign as any that Real Madrid’s depth is no accident. With Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Aurelien Tchouameni still working their way back from World Cup duty, and Thibaut Courtois, Rodrygo, and Eder Militao sidelined through injury, Mourinho leaned on a notably young starting XI. The response was another win, Madrid’s third in their last four pre-season outings.
Arda Guler was the standout for the opening hour, pulling the strings from an advanced midfield role and consistently carving out chances for his teammates, a performance that will only add to the growing belief that he is ready for a bigger role this season.
Rivas Breaks the Deadlock
Real Madrid had spent much of the first half in control, dominating possession and pinning Ferencvaros back without quite finding the breakthrough. That changed in the 41st minute, when Alexis Ciria whipped in a precise corner and Mario Rivas rose at the near post to power a header into the bottom corner. It was exactly the kind of set-piece execution Madrid have been working on in training, and it sent them into the break deservedly ahead.
Espi Doubles the Advantage in a Flash
Whatever the halftime message was, it worked instantly. Just four minutes into the second half, Federico Valverde sliced through midfield with a composed pass into the box, finding Carlos Espi, who took a single touch before slotting home with his right foot. It was Espi’s second goal in as many pre-season matches, continuing a breakout summer that has reportedly caught the attention of several Premier League clubs.
Suddenly Madrid were 2-0 up and cruising, with the home crowd growing restless.
Ferencvaros Fight Back
To their credit, the Hungarian side did not fold. Ferencvaros came out swinging after going two goals down, and their pressure paid off in the 57th minute when Kristoffer Zachariassen drove forward and found Kenan Kodro in space inside the box. Kodro turned his marker and fired low into the bottom corner, setting up a nervy final half-hour in Budapest.
Mourinho responded at halftime with sweeping changes, introducing Bernardo Silva, Vinicius Junior, and Trent Alexander-Arnold to see the game out, and while Ferencvaros continued to push, Madrid’s control of possession in the closing stages proved enough to close out the win.
What This Means Going Forward
For a Real Madrid side under a new manager and still missing several key pieces, wins like this matter. Controlling large stretches of the match, scoring from a set piece and a slick passing move, and showing enough game management to hold on after conceding all point to a team building real cohesion early in the Mourinho era.
Madrid are back in action on August 12 against Deportivo de La Coruna, before wrapping up their preseason schedule against Schalke 04 on August 16, just six days before their LaLiga opener at Espanyol.
