Why Jose Mourinho Had a Black Eye During the Real Madrid Friendly vs. Schalke
Jose Mourinho recently shared the story behind the noticeable black eye he got during Real Madrid’s latest pre-season game, which caught many fans’ eyes.
Real Madrid stayed unbeaten in pre-season by beating Bundesliga team Schalke 3-0 on Sunday. Goals from Kylian Mbappe, Dean Huijsen, and Carlos Espí helped seal the win at the Veltins Arena.
It was an exciting night for Madrid fans, with new signings Bernardo Silva and Ibrahima Konate starting the match. Four other new players—Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries, Espí, and Yan Diomande—were on the bench. Diomande and Cucurella made their long-awaited debuts in the second half.
After the game, Mourinho called the team’s performance “positive.” He explained, “Some players arrived later and don’t yet have the same energy as those who started training from day one.” He pointed out that the early starters have had 30 training sessions and six games, while the new arrivals only three or four sessions so far.
Mourinho, who has led the team to three wins and one draw in pre-season, also explained how he got the black eye. “I got hit in the face with the ball during training,” he said. “If I hadn’t been wearing glasses, it might have been worse.”
Since returning to the Bernabeu, Mourinho has set out three strict rules for all players at the club.
First, nutrition is key. Mourinho believes great athletic performance starts with a good diet. Nutritionists at Real Madrid now design the players’ daily menus to boost their football skills, focusing on what’s best rather than what’s preferred.
Second, punctuality is a must. Players who arrive late to training will have to spend an extra hour in the gym. There’s no fine, but the punishment is extra physical work.
Finally, injury recovery must be done only at Valdebebas, with no outside treatments allowed for Real Madrid players.
Mourinho’s clear rules show how serious he is about keeping the team performing at their best!