Mourinho retools Real’s right‑back with Alexander‑Arnold vs Fiorentina

Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid opened their summer campaign against Fiorentina in a friendly that finished 2‑2, despite the Merengue missing several of their most important players, prompting the Portuguese coach to devise a fresh tactical use for his star right‑back.

Real Madrid entered the encounter without a number of key figures, yet the side still produced an encouraging performance against Fiorentina. To compensate, Mourinho introduced innovative ideas, most notably fielding both Trent Alexander‑Arnold and Denzel Dumfries, who are expected to battle for the right‑back position next season.

On paper, the Englishman was listed as a full‑back while the Dutchman occupied a more advanced winger role, but the match quickly revealed that Trent’s duties diverged from a traditional defensive position. When Real Madrid held possession, Alexander‑Arnold slipped into an extra midfield role, allowing him to influence the game further.

According to AS, Alexander‑Arnold defended as a full‑back but, when Real Madrid held possession, he slipped into an extra midfield role, allowing Mourinho to exploit his pinpoint passing from deeper areas. His ability to deliver precise passes from deeper positions became a key element of the new system.

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The tactical shift paid off when Alexander‑Arnold delivered a precise ball that Endrick collected to score Real Madrid’s first goal of the friendly.

Mourinho was seen conversing with the full‑back shortly before the assist, indicating clear ideas on how to harness the Englishman’s skill set.

Meanwhile, the club also eyes the possible signing of midfielder Rodri Hernandez to broaden passing options, though it remains uncertain if the Spaniard will join.

The encounter concluded with a 2‑2 draw, leaving both sides with a balanced result after the experimental tactics.