Real Madrid make a new addition to Jose Mourinho’s backroom staff – report

Real Madrid make a new addition to Jose Mourinho’s backroom staff – report Real Madrid appear to have closed the chapter on first-team signings for next season, but the club are still strengthening Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff. Indeed, according to journalist Rodra (h/t Defensa Central ), Los Blancos have brought in Fran Lapiedra, a former Valencia analyst who worked as part of Carlos Corberán’s coaching staff. After many years at Valencia, Lapiedra is now moving to the Santiago Bernabeu and joining Mourinho’s team, having left Los Che a few weeks ago. Mourinho’s new coaching staff Mourinho arrived at Real Madrid with much of the same coaching structure he had used during his time at Benfica in Lisbon. There are, however, some notable additions, including former midfielder Sami Khedira as a special assistant, reflecting Mourinho’s preference for having a former player close to the squad. Jose Mourinho with his staff members. (Picture credit: X/@realmadrid) Meanwhile, Florentino Perez’s trusted personnel, Antonio Pintus, has remained a part of the Portuguese tactician’s staff at the club’s request to oversee physical preparation. Goalkeeping coach Luis Llopis, meanwhile, was left outside the first-team structure despite still having a contract with the club and has moved into another area without direct involvement with the senior squad. Lapiedra will work under Roberto Merella, the first-team’s head of analysis. His responsibilities will include analysing opponents and Real Madrid’s own performances, identifying tactical patterns and preparing audiovisual material that Mourinho and his staff can use when preparing for matches. His arrival therefore strengthens a department that is expected to play an important role in Mourinho’s methodology. An experienced La Liga specialist Lapiedra brings extensive experience in professional football, particularly in La Liga. His career has been closely connected with Valencia for many years. He began working in the club’s academy before moving up to the first team in 2020. He subsequently worked as an assistant coach and collaborated with figures including Mista before becoming part of Valencia’s first-team analysis department. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fran Lapiedra (@fran_lapiedra23) He later worked alongside Jose Bordalas during the 2021-22 season, followed by a spell with Gennaro Gattuso. He then became a regular member of the coaching staffs led by Ruben Baraja and, most recently, Carlos Corberan. A valuable addition for Mourinho Lapiedra’s versatility is one of the qualities he can bring to Real Madrid. His work has extended beyond match analysis to studying training sessions and opposition teams. During his time at Valencia, he was involved in tactical analysis and also had a presence on the bench, giving him practical experience in delivering relevant information to the coaching staff during matches. His arrival could also strengthen Mourinho’s team’s knowledge of Spanish football and La Liga. Merella remains Mourinho’s trusted figure in the analysis department and has a long working relationship with the Portuguese coach. Lapiedra, meanwhile, adds years of experience within Spanish football.