Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory over Hungarian club Ferencvaros in a pre-season friendly match, with substitute Carlos Espi scoring four minutes after coming onto the pitch. The former Levante forward scored Madrid's second goal by placing a low shot past the goalkeeper and next to the post.
Espi completed the standout team play of the match, finishing a fast one-touch combination between Endrick, Arda Guler, and Federico Valverde, who set up Espi in the penalty area. Espi nearly added a second goal later in the contest as manager Jose Mourinho seeks a finisher to resolve matches when opponents defend deep.
During an interview on Real Madrid's social media channels, Espi previously described himself as a finisher. Mourinho hopes the young forward can serve a role similar to former striker Joselu by offering an alternative attacking option when Real Madrid encounter compact defensive systems.
Guler played the entire 90 minutes, an unusual workload for this point in pre-season, after an early World Cup exit with Turkey allowed him to participate in nearly all training sessions. The midfielder operated as the most creative player on the field, dropping deep to build attacks from defense and searching for final passes in the attacking third.
Youth academy goal and lineup changes
Real Madrid took the lead through youth academy central defender Mario Rivas, the son of former Getafe and Betis player Nano. Rivas started in defense alongside fellow academy player Joan Martinez.
The opening goal originated from a corner kick taken by Guler. After the Hungarian defense cleared the ball to the far side of the penalty box, Alexis Ciria, who scored in Madrid's match last Saturday, delivered a precise cross for Rivas to finish with an angled shot like a striker.
Mourinho named a starting lineup nearly identical to his previous team selection, with the only change being Brahim Diaz coming in for Trent Alexander-Arnold. The manager continued to give significant minutes to academy players to evaluate their capabilities for the senior squad.
Ferencvaros scored their goal through Kenan Kodro during a period of second-half pressure. The Hungarian team displayed greater physical fitness because they are already competing in the qualifying rounds of the Europa League, often organizing into two tight lines of four players to restrict Madrid's movement.
Midfield debuts and returning defenders
Bernardo Silva made his debut for Real Madrid, showing encouraging touches in midfield despite recently returning from his summer vacation. His appearance comes amid ongoing discussion regarding who will occupy the central midfield positions for Madrid this season.
Vinicius Junior also played his first minutes of pre-season following his recent contract renewal. Guler picked out Vinicius with a deep pass into space, though the Brazilian forward lacked the match sharpness to reach the ball in the early stages of his return.
Defenders Antonio Rudiger and Dean Huijsen came on after halftime after recovering from minor physical issues that kept them out seven days earlier. Both central defenders are expected to start in Real Madrid's La Liga season opener against Espanyol on August 22.
Real Madrid followed a similar pattern to their earlier friendly against Fiorentina, controlling the first half before facing greater physical demands late in the match. Mourinho used the fixture to build match fitness and test tactical options across his squad.
