Real Madrid squanders two-goal lead in 2-2 preseason draw with Fiorentina as Endrick and Ciria score
Real Madrid opened its preseason with a 2-2 draw against Fiorentina in Klagenfurt, Austria, after Endrick and Alexis Ciria gave Mourinho's side a 2-0 first-half lead that evaporated after the break.
First-half dominance
Real Madrid began its first genuine preseason friendly at the Wörthersee Stadion in Klagenfurt with a clear plan. José Mourinho fielded a 4-2-3-1 that included debutant Denzel Dumfries as a right winger and Trent Alexander-Arnold stepping into midfield during build-up, while youth-team central defenders Joan Martínez and Mario Rivas started because of injuries to Asencio and Huijsen. The approach worked immediately. Endrick, back from a loan at Lyon, opened the scoring in the 12th minute, controlling a cutback from Álvaro Carreras and firing low past David de Gea. Ten minutes later, Eduardo Camavinga danced through the edge of the area and found Alexis Ciria, who finished calmly with his right foot to make it 2-0. Arda Güler pulled the strings, and Madrid's pressing stifled Fiorentina, who failed to register a shot until late in the half.
- Endrick puts Madrid 1-0 up
- Alexis Ciria doubles Madrid's lead
- Piccoli pulls one back for Fiorentina
- Kean equalises with a header
Fiorentina's fightback
Against the run of play, former Real Madrid youth player Álex Jiménez threaded a pass to Roberto Piccoli in the 41st minute, and the Italian striker beat Andriy Lunin at the near post. The goal shifted momentum. After the interval, Fabio Grosso's side looked transformed. Albert Gudmundsson lobbed wide when one-on-one, and Rolando Mandragora struck a free-kick just over the bar before Moise Kean headed in a Nicolò Fagioli cross in the 58th minute to level. Madrid's intensity dropped sharply, and the Italian side, with more preseason matches already played, appeared fresher and more coherent.
Key performers
Endrick showed the striker's instinct that Madrid hopes to harness, turning sharply and finishing with his left foot. Alexis Ciria, an 18-year-old winger from Badajoz, continued a rapid rise. He joined Madrid from Sevilla in January 2026 for around €200,000 after contract talks stalled, and had already scored on his Juvenil debut, featured for Castilla, and won the Youth League and Copa de Campeones. Güler was the creative hub, directing play and even forcing De Gea into a save from a direct free-kick. Camavinga and Federico Valverde provided energy in midfield, while Carreras offered constant width on the left.
Tactical experiment
Mourinho's hybrid system gave Alexander-Arnold licence to influence possession from deep, with Dumfries pushing high on the right flank. The shape created overloads in the first half but left Madrid exposed when possession was lost, particularly after the break. The coach also handed a debut to Carlos Espí, a recent signing from Levante, and gave minutes to academy players Diego Lacosta, Dani Yáñez, and Cestero as he searched for a way back into the match. Fiorentina, meanwhile, introduced its own former Madrid youth product Víctor Valdepeñas late on.
What's next
The draw followed two behind-closed-doors training wins over Alcorcón (1-0) and Leganés (4-1) at Valdebebas. Mourinho will integrate returning internationals in the coming week as the squad continues its European preseason tour, with structural questions still to answer after a second half in which Madrid managed little threat on De Gea's goal.
