Newly appointed Real Madrid coach José Mourinho has expressed concerns regarding summer signing Bernardo Silva‘s fitness after the midfielder returned from his offseason break in poor condition.
The 31-year-old Silva joined Madrid on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract with Manchester City at the end of the last season.
Silva made his debut for Los Blancos during a friendly match against Ferencvaros in Budapest, which Madrid won 2-1. He came on as a substitute at halftime.
“Bernardo is a crucial player for us, but unfortunately, he falls into the category of players who tend to take it easy during their holidays,” Mourinho remarked post-game.
“While it’s beneficial for him to relax mentally during his break, he returned in less than optimal physical shape — he needs to step up his game.”
Due to Silva’s current fitness issues, Mourinho opted to position him as a No.10 in the game, as goals from Mario Rivas and Carlos Espí secured the victory for Madrid in Hungary.
“Bernardo is an exceptional player,” Mourinho added. “He can aid in our build-up play from deeper positions, such as No.6 or No.8.”
“However, I noticed during the match that he lacked some physical strength, prompting me to advance him to a No.10 role. He is versatile and can operate in several positions.”
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Despite the challenges, Silva was thrilled to have made his debut for his new club and acknowledged that there’s much work ahead before the LaLiga season opener against Espanyol on August 21.
“It’s just the first week, but I’m very happy,” he stated on Real Madrid TV. “There are numerous areas to improve, but the priority is to build up my rhythm for a strong season start.”
“It’s been a challenging first week, but I’m excited to have begun my journey and made my Madrid debut.”