Man City Legend Gets Brutal Jose Mourinho Fitness Verdict at Real Madrid: 'He Doesn't Do Any Work'

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has publicly called out new signing Bernardo Silva's physical condition following his first appearance for the club in a pre-season friendly.

Mourinho, who returned to the Santiago Bernabeu this summer for a second spell, made the former Manchester City star one of his primary transfer targets.

The Portuguese midfielder was sought after for his leadership and experience, with Mourinho hoping to instil higher standards in the dressing room after a disappointing, trophy-less season. Despite interest from rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid secured Silva's signature.

However, after the midfielder made his debut against Ferencvaros on Saturday, having joined the squad late due to his World Cup commitments with Portugal, Mourinho did not hold back in his assessment.

"Bernardo Silva? He's a very important player for us," Mourinho stated as quoted by the Daily Mail. "But the poor guy, when he goes on vacation, he likes to disconnect completely. He doesn't do any work. So he arrived for pre-season with much lower physical fitness, and he has to improve."

Despite the pointed criticism, the manager also acknowledged the quality Silva brings to the team, highlighting his versatility.

"But Bernardo is a wonderful player who gives us excellent build-up with the ball, whether he plays in a deeper position or in midfield," he added.

"During the match, I saw that he lacks physical strength, so I moved him to the number 10 position. He can play there too. He can play in three or four positions."

Real Madrid went on to win the friendly 2-1. Reflecting on the team's overall performance, Mourinho expressed satisfaction with their progress but noted areas needing refinement.

"I liked the first half more. It doesn’t surprise me because we have been working more with those players," he explained.

"In the second half, with Vini and Bernardo, who don’t have many minutes, and with Endrick changing positions, we lost some of our organisation. But it’s good. Those small mistakes that accumulate in these games are good for me."

Madrid will continue their pre-season preparations with matches against Deportivo and Schalke before their LaLiga campaign begins with an away fixture at Espanyol on August 22.

Silva joined Real Madrid after an illustrious nine-year career at Manchester City, where he made 460 appearances.