Following a 3-0 win over Schalke in the final friendly, Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid looks prepared for the season ahead, as conceded by the manager himself.
During the course of the pre-season campaign, the Portuguese coach has tried hard to rekindle the winning spirit and togetherness within the squad.
And while much of the focus has been on new signings, Mourinho has done well to integrate some of the talented youth players as well and two, in particular, have made an impression.
Who are these two players?
As reported by The Athletic, Mario Rivas and Alexis Ciria have made a strong impression in pre-season under Mourinho this summer.
Mourinho impressed by Ciria and Rivas. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)
Both being products of La Fabrica, the pair took their opportunities well while several senior stars were still enjoying extended breaks following the World Cup.
Rivas, a 19-year-old centre-back, impressed with his composure at the back, while Ciria, an 18-year-old left-winger, showed glimpses of his attacking quality.
The duo are both highly rated at Valdebebas, and their performances during the friendlies ensured they did not look out of place among the senior professionals.
Ciria, in particular, made his mark by getting on the scoresheet earlier in pre-season, underlining his potential in the final third.
What are their roles for this season?
Realistically, both youngsters face a significant challenge for regular minutes given the strength of Real Madrid’s squad.
It will be hard for Ciria to get regular game time. (Photo by David Balogh/Getty Images)
As the World Cup contingent returned, Rivas and Ciria naturally slipped down the pecking order.
With Mourinho having overseen six new signings, competition for places is fiercer than ever, particularly in attack, where the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Yan Diomande and others are ahead of Ciria.
For now, the pair are more likely to serve as squad options who can be called upon during a demanding campaign, while continuing their development.
Nevertheless, their strong pre-season showings will not have gone unnoticed by Mourinho.
Recent seasons have shown that opportunities can arise for academy talents in a gruelling schedule, and both Rivas and Ciria have done their chances no harm.