Real Madrid line-up: Dumfries and Endrick included for Fiorentina test

Real Madrid will play their first official pre-season friendly on Saturday evening when they face Fiorentina, with manager Jose Mourinho given an early opportunity to assess his plans for the new campaign.

The match has attracted particular attention in the Spanish capital because it represents the first serious test of Mourinho’s project. Real Madrid have already played two training matches against Alcorcon and Leganes at their Valdebebas training centre, but the meeting with the Italian side will provide a more meaningful indication of the squad’s readiness before competitive football begins.

Mourinho has named a strong starting XI despite being without five defensive players because of injuries and international commitments. The absences have forced the manager to make changes at the back, including handing responsibility to two young centre-backs.

Andriy Lunin will start in goal, while Trent and Carreras have been selected as the right-back and left-back respectively. Juan Martinez and Mario Rivas will form the centre-back partnership as Real Madrid deal with their defensive shortage.

The midfield will feature a familiar pairing, with Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga operating as the two deeper players. Arda Guler has been chosen in the creative role behind the forwards, while Alexis Ciria will play on the left side.

The fixture will also mark the first appearance of Denzel Dumfries in a Real Madrid shirt. The new signing is set to operate on the right, although in a position that is not regarded as his usual one. His inclusion will be one of the main talking points as Mourinho continues to assess how best to use his new arrival.

Brazilian youngster Endrick is also expected to make his first appearance for the club in attack. His involvement adds another youthful element to a line-up that already includes Juan Martinez, Mario Rivas and other players being given an opportunity during pre-season.

The starting team reflects the circumstances facing Mourinho as well as the manager’s willingness to look at younger options. With five defenders unavailable, the match will offer Juan Martinez and Mario Rivas an important chance to demonstrate that they can cope with the demands of first-team football.

For Mourinho, the game is less about the result than about measuring the condition and balance of his squad ahead of the official season. The previous fixtures against Alcorcon and Leganes provided players with training-match minutes, but Fiorentina will offer a considerably stronger examination of the team’s organisation and individual readiness.

Real Madrid’s first friendly of the formal preparation period therefore combines several of the main themes surrounding the club: a defensive selection problem, opportunities for young players, the debut of Dumfries and the introduction of Endrick. It will also be the clearest early indication yet of how Mourinho intends to shape his side before the new campaign gets under way.