Real Madrid Edge Deportivo 1-0 to Win Teresa Herrera as Brahim Díaz Delivers

Real Madrid defeated Deportivo La Coruña 1-0 at Riazor to win the Trofeo Teresa Herrera, with Brahim Díaz turning Andriy Lunin’s rapid distribution into the decisive goal just before halftime.

The result extended Madrid’s unbeaten preseason run and gave José Mourinho another useful test before competitive football begins, but the scoreline only tells part of the story.

Deportivo made the match uncomfortable. Madrid struggled to create consistently against a compact opponent, several major first-team players were still absent, and Mourinho continued experimenting with shape and personnel.

The clearest positive came from Brahim.

His goal began with Lunin, who launched the ball forward immediately after collecting possession. Brahim controlled the long distribution, accelerated into space and finished the counterattack with the composure needed to separate two teams that had otherwise been difficult to split.

New signing Bernardo Silva also continued his integration into Madrid’s midfield, starting alongside Eduardo Camavinga and showing the movement, work rate and positional intelligence that made him such an important player during his years at Manchester City.

For Madrid, the Teresa Herrera trophy matters less than what the performance revealed about the team Mourinho is trying to build.

The Sports Encounter has been following that rebuild closely, including Vinícius Júnior’s new long-term Real Madrid contract, the arrival of Yan Diomande in a major summer transfer, and Madrid’s continuing interest in reshaping their midfield around elite control.

Deportivo vs Real Madrid: Teresa Herrera Final at a Glance

Match Detail	Information
Competition	Trofeo Teresa Herrera
Venue	Riazor, A Coruña
Result	Deportivo La Coruña 0-1 Real Madrid
Goalscorer	Brahim Díaz
Assist / Build-up	Andriy Lunin long distribution
Real Madrid coach	José Mourinho
Key new signing involved	Bernardo Silva
Trophy significance	Real Madrid win Teresa Herrera for first time since 2013

Brahim Díaz Turns One Transition Into the Winning Moment

The match had offered few truly clean openings before Brahim changed it.

Deportivo defended with discipline and made Madrid work through slower phases of possession, limiting the spaces Mourinho’s attacking players could exploit.

The decisive action came from a completely different type of situation.

Lunin recovered the ball and immediately recognized that Deportivo had committed players forward.

His long throw released Brahim into space.

The Moroccan international still had work to do.

He controlled the distribution at speed, attacked the retreating defense and finished the move to give Madrid a 1-0 lead shortly before halftime.

The goal was significant because it showed a side of Mourinho’s Madrid that may become increasingly important this season.

Possession can control matches.

Transition speed can finish them.

Madrid have enough technical quality to dominate the ball against most opponents, but Mourinho has historically valued the ability to attack quickly once the opposition’s defensive structure breaks.

Brahim’s goal was a perfect example.

Lunin’s Distribution Creates More Than a Save

Goalkeepers are often judged almost entirely by what they stop.

Lunin influenced this match by starting the move that won it.

His decision to release the ball immediately changed the geometry of the game.

Instead of allowing Deportivo to recover into their shape, the Ukrainian turned a defensive possession into an attacking opportunity within seconds.

That is increasingly important for modern goalkeepers.

Distribution is no longer a secondary skill.

Elite teams want keepers who can identify whether a controlled short build-up or an immediate vertical release offers the better option.

Lunin chose the aggressive solution.

Brahim rewarded him.

The goalkeeper also made important interventions later as Deportivo searched for an equalizer, helping preserve Madrid’s narrow lead.

Bernardo Silva Shows Why Madrid Wanted Him

Bernardo Silva’s performance deserves attention even though he did not score or assist.

Madrid signed the Portuguese international on a free transfer after his Manchester City contract expired, giving Mourinho one of Europe’s most experienced positional midfielders without paying a transfer fee. Reuters reported that Bernardo signed a two-year agreement through 2028.

His value has never been limited to traditional midfield statistics.

Bernardo moves constantly.

He offers passing angles, presses intelligently, receives comfortably under pressure and understands when to slow a possession or accelerate it.

Against Deportivo, those qualities were visible as he worked alongside Camavinga in the central areas.

The pairing is interesting because the two midfielders solve different problems.

Camavinga provides athletic coverage, ball carrying and defensive range.

Bernardo offers orientation, manipulation of space and technical calm.

If Mourinho can combine those strengths consistently, Madrid may have greater control in matches where opponents defend deep and try to frustrate them.

WHAT A GOAL BY BRAHIM DIAZ!!

The Mourinho Era has begun 🤩 pic.twitter.com/Id0J0S4KFC

— 𝐟𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐯 (@fedevalv_) August 12, 2026

Madrid Still Had Problems Creating Against a Compact Deportivo

The trophy should not hide the less convincing parts of the performance.

Madrid did not create chances freely.

Deportivo remained organized for long stretches and prevented the visitors from turning territorial control into sustained pressure.

That matters because this type of game will appear repeatedly in La Liga.

Many opponents will protect the center, defend in numbers and ask Madrid to create through patient combinations rather than open transitions.

Mourinho acknowledged afterward that the match resembled the type of competitive resistance Madrid can expect once the league begins. He also stressed that preseason remains a period for experimentation and managing player workloads.

That makes the match useful precisely because it was not easy.

A 5-0 preseason victory can build confidence.

A difficult 1-0 can reveal more.

Mourinho Continues Testing Shapes

The second half offered another clue about Madrid’s development.

Mourinho used the match to test different structures rather than simply protect the starting system.

Spanish reporting noted that Madrid moved between variations of a 4-2-3-1 and a back-five shape later in the match, with Denzel Dumfries and Álvaro Carreras capable of operating higher as wingbacks.

That flexibility could become useful across a long season.

Madrid will face opponents that demand different solutions.

Some matches will require control through midfield.

Others will require stronger protection against transitions.

A back five can also allow Dumfries to attack space more aggressively without leaving the right side completely exposed.

Preseason is the safest place to explore those options.

Madrid’s Starting XI Showed the Depth of the Rebuild

The lineup itself reflected how quickly the squad has changed.

Lunin started in goal, with Dumfries, Dean Huijsen, Antonio Rüdiger and Carreras across the defense.

Camavinga and Bernardo formed the central midfield base.

Vinícius Júnior, Arda Güler and Brahim supported Endrick in attack.

That is already a very different-looking Madrid side.

The Sports Encounter has tracked several pieces of this rebuild throughout the summer.

Vinícius’ future is now secure after the club agreed a long-term extension, ending the uncertainty examined earlier in our analysis of his contract situation.

Madrid have also invested heavily in youth through the signing of Yan Diomande, while the club’s interest in midfield control has been reflected in its pursuit of Rodri.

Bernardo adds another layer.

He arrives with experience instead of potential.

Endrick and Güler Still Look Like Important Pieces

Endrick led the line while Arda Güler operated behind him.

Neither decided the match, but both remain important to Madrid’s future attacking structure.

Güler can play between lines, drift toward the right and create through combinations around the penalty area.

Endrick offers a more direct threat through central runs and physical attacks on defenders.

The challenge for Mourinho is creating enough complementary movement around them.

Young attacking players often look more comfortable when matches become stretched.

Deportivo rarely allowed that.

This was therefore useful experience.

Vinícius Remains Madrid’s Main Source of Chaos

Vinícius started from his familiar left-sided role and remains Madrid’s most natural one-on-one destabilizer.

His contract renewal has removed one of the biggest off-field questions surrounding the squad.

The Sports Encounter recently examined why Madrid committed to Vinícius through 2032 after weeks of market noise involving Arsenal and Saudi interest.

The Teresa Herrera match reinforced why the club values him.

Even when the attack lacks rhythm, his presence forces defenders to protect space differently.

The next step is ensuring the rest of Madrid’s structure benefits consistently from the attention he attracts.

Deportivo Offered the Kind of Test Madrid Needed

Deportivo deserve credit for preventing this from becoming a ceremonial preseason trophy match.

The hosts defended well, competed physically and created moments that required Madrid’s defensive line and goalkeeper to remain focused.

That matters for Mourinho.

Madrid’s recent friendly schedule has been designed to increase in difficulty, and the coach described Deportivo as a useful approximation of the type of match his players will encounter in La Liga.

Preseason preparation is most valuable when opponents expose weaknesses rather than simply provide minutes.

Deportivo did that.

Madrid Win the Teresa Herrera for the First Time Since 2013

The result also carries historical value.

Real Madrid lifted the Trofeo Teresa Herrera for the first time in 13 years.

The traditional summer competition has long been associated with Deportivo and the football culture of A Coruña.

For Madrid, the trophy will not rank alongside La Liga or Champions League success.

It still provides another positive marker during preseason.

Mourinho will care more about readiness than silverware.

The players will still prefer winning.

Why Bernardo’s Role Could Become More Important Once the Season Starts

Madrid’s midfield has undergone a generational transition over the past several seasons.

Luka Modrić has moved on and remains active at AC Milan, where The Sports Encounter recently covered his contract extension through 2027.

Toni Kroos is also no longer part of the midfield structure that defined Madrid’s previous era.

That leaves a different type of challenge.

Madrid have athleticism.

They have dribblers.

They have young creators.

Bernardo gives them someone who understands how to connect those pieces.

His experience under Pep Guardiola means he is accustomed to operating inside detailed positional structures, rotating across midfield and wide areas without losing team balance.

Mourinho will use those qualities differently, but the intelligence remains transferable.

Madrid’s Wider Summer Rebuild Is Becoming Visible

The Teresa Herrera final offered a first practical view of several decisions made during the summer.

Madrid are trying to move beyond a disappointing 2025-26 season in which they failed to win La Liga and exited the Champions League in the quarterfinals. Reuters highlighted those setbacks when confirming Bernardo’s arrival.

The response has been aggressive.

Madrid have strengthened the squad across multiple areas and committed to a mixture of established stars and younger talent.

That broader process has included Diomande, defensive reinforcements and the effort to preserve Vinícius as an attacking cornerstone.

The Sports Encounter’s analysis of Madrid’s summer rebuild showed how those moves fit into a larger attempt to restore balance rather than simply add names.

What Mourinho Will Like

The first positive is defensive control.

Madrid kept a clean sheet against an opponent willing to compete rather than sit passively.

The second is transition quality.

Brahim’s goal showed how quickly Madrid can punish a team once possession changes hands.

The third is flexibility.

Mourinho had enough depth to alter personnel and structure without abandoning the match.

Bernardo’s continued integration also gives the coach another midfielder capable of interpreting several roles.

What Mourinho Still Needs to Fix

The attack remains the obvious area for improvement.

Madrid need to create more consistently against organized defensive blocks.

There were stretches when possession became predictable and the forwards received the ball without enough movement around them.

That problem will become more serious against stronger La Liga opponents.

Mourinho also needs several returning players to regain full rhythm before conclusions can be drawn about his preferred XI.

The manager referenced players still working separately at Valdebebas, underlining how incomplete the preseason picture remains.

Turning Points in Deportivo vs Real Madrid

Lunin sees the counter before Deportivo can recover

The goalkeeper’s quick distribution created the only goal and prevented Deportivo from resetting its defensive shape.

Brahim turns a difficult control into a clean finish

The move still required quality after Lunin released the ball. Brahim’s first touch and acceleration gave Madrid the separation they needed.

Deportivo survive Madrid’s slower possession phases

The hosts repeatedly pushed Madrid away from dangerous central zones and showed that Mourinho’s team still has work to do against compact blocks.

Bernardo and Camavinga give Mourinho a new midfield pairing

The combination offered technical control and athletic coverage, even if Madrid did not dominate creatively throughout.

Lunin protects the lead late

Deportivo remained competitive enough to create late pressure, and Madrid needed their goalkeeper to make sure Brahim’s goal remained decisive.

TSE Verdict: The Trophy Matters Less Than the Lesson

Real Madrid will take the Trofeo Teresa Herrera back to Madrid.

José Mourinho will probably take something more useful from A Coruña.

This was the type of match elite teams regularly face once domestic competition begins.

The opponent defended with organization.

Open space was limited.

Chances were scarce.

One lapse in concentration could have changed the result.

Madrid still found a way through.

The winning move came from the kind of awareness Mourinho will value: Lunin saw the transition immediately, Brahim recognized the space and the entire attack was completed before Deportivo could recover.

Bernardo’s contribution was quieter but potentially more important over the long term.

His movement and understanding of space give Madrid another way to control difficult matches, especially as the midfield continues moving beyond the Modrić-Kroos era.

The performance was not complete.

It did not need to be.

Preseason is where teams discover which problems still exist before the league table starts punishing them.

Madrid leave Riazor unbeaten, with another trophy and another clean sheet.

Mourinho leaves with evidence.

Some of it encouraging.

Some of it still requiring work.

That may make a narrow 1-0 win more useful than a comfortable friendly victory would have been.

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