With two “kids” at center-back (Joan and Mario), another at left wing (Ciria), a reliable double pivot despite the many absences (Fede-Camavinga), an invention that could have legs over the course of the season (Trent and Dumfries doubling up at full-back), Güler pulling the strings creatively, and an Endrick in sporting rebellion, Madrid showed up for their first serious test of the preseason displaying superiority and leaving a good impression. It was a very Mou-like Madrid: serious, combative, uncompromising, competitive, and committed. Also with a very clear idea in attack: win the ball back and bare their fangs. No sitting back. With all that, they imposed themselves on Fiorentina from the start with great clarity.
Madrid defended solidly and attacked with intent. Carreras and academy product Ciria, who showed plenty of audacity and personality out wide, caused damage on the left. On the right, Trent and Dumfries also drove forward dangerously and persistently. Both flanks were made to “dance” by a Güler who handled the ball with clarity and precision. It was his through ball to Carreras that the defender pulled back, where Endrick appeared in “gunslinger mode” to pounce on the ball and unleash, in half a second, a dry, low left-footed strike that caught De Gea by surprise. With Madrid comfortable and moving the ball with continuity and purpose, Camavinga capped a fine individual move with an assist to the young Ciria, who did not waste the gift and finished with class and composure to make it 2-0. Fiorentina weathered the storm as best they could, and only Piccoli’s goal on the edge of halftime, from an isolated attack, reduced the impact of Madrid’s great superiority in the first half.
Mou must have liked the team too because he changed nothing at halftime. He kept the initial setup and gave it continuity. Fiorentina came out pressing, and in five minutes created more than in the entire first half. Gudmundsson had the equalizer in a one-on-one against Lunin but put it wide. Shortly after, Mandragora came close to scoring from a direct free kick from the edge of the box. And at the third attempt they equalized with a header from Kean, who had only been on the pitch for a few seconds. Fiorentina took the ball away from Madrid and made the most of their surge. There was no trace of Madrid’s superiority from the first half. Madrid completely faded.
During the hydration break, Mou was seen with a grimace, upset by the negative turn the match had taken. To his words he added the substitution of Cestero, who had come on shortly before to join Camavinga and Valverde in midfield in an attempt to regain the lost control. The pep talk and the move had an effect. Madrid recovered slightly and Mou freshened up the attack, handing a debut to Espí, who came on for Endrick, a goalscoring and combative presence in his first minutes of preseason. Dumfries also went off after a notable debut to make way for Yáñez.
Fiorentina lost momentum with the substitutions, among them that of former Real Madrid player Valdepeñas, who was making his debut, and Madrid regained control, although without the penetration and threat of the first half. There were barely two good crosses from Trent: the first was almost turned in by Fede in the six-yard box and the second was headed wide by Espí in the very last second of the match. That last combination, Trent’s glove and Espí’s hammer, looks set to be a great resource for Mou during the season. And little else came from the final stretch of the match, in which the carousel of changes from both teams cooled the contest until its conclusion.