Jose Mourinho has told Bernardo Silva he 'has to improve' after the midfielder's Real Madrid debut, criticising his 'low level' of fitness. Silva, 31, joined on a free transfer after his Manchester City contract expired in June.
The Portugal international played the second half of Saturday's 2-1 pre-season friendly win over Ferencvaros, giving fans a glimpse of the 'incredible player' Mourinho has described him as. But the manager's post-match comments focused on his condition.
Mourinho's fitness verdict
"He is very important, but the poor guy is one of those players who benefits mentally from not doing anything during vacation, and he arrived for pre-season at a fairly low physical level," Mourinho told Real Madrid TV. "He has to improve. But he is an incredible player."
The Los Blancos boss explained he changed Silva's position to compensate for his lack of sharpness. "During the game, I realised he was lacking a little physical strength, so I moved him forward to the No. 10 position," Mourinho added. "He can play there, too. He can play in three or four positions."
Vinicius Jr contract and season ahead
Mourinho also commented on Vinicius Junior's decision to sign a new six-year contract, ending speculation over his future. "The most important thing is his contract renewal," he said. "It's a joy for him and for all of us. With so few training sessions, these are players who come into a game with tired legs from training."
Real begin their La Liga campaign away to Espanyol on August 22, before Mourinho's first home game against Real Sociedad four days later. His task is to end Barcelona's two-year hold on the Spanish title.
