Real Madrid: Pedro Martínez faces the Movistar Arena crowd with a title and seven signings to integrate

Real Madrid’s opening Liga game carries particular importance this season. Not because of the immediate sporting stakes, still limited at this stage, nor even because of the opponent, Unicaja, who arrive with former Madrid player Willy Hernangómez, booed on his last three visits to the Whites’ home while wearing the Barça shirt.

Supporters are chiefly looking forward to celebrating the team’s first title of the campaign, seeing the seven new players up close and meeting their new coach. Pedro Martínez, Real Madrid’s coach, will make his debut before his own fans on Sunday at 7 p.m., with a trophy already secured, a squad that excites him and the task of shaping a recognisable, competitive side.

The coach is not arriving as an unknown figure in Madrid’s environment. During his long career, he had several verbal battles with the club he now manages, at times even directing a few barbs at it. According to reported accounts, he defended his own teams with great determination, on and off the court. He is now expected to bring that same level of demand to Real Madrid, after the necessary change in perspective required by his new role.

Before taking part in the SuperCup, Martínez set out his approach: “We are starting from zero, without thinking too much about what came before.” The Madrid fans expected to fill the Movistar Arena stands should give him a warm welcome. Winning that first trophy should also have dispelled any possible doubts: arriving with a cup is the best way to settle into a club where titles have historically been a reason for being.

In his first weeks, the coach says he has found even more than he expected, less in the talent of a squad whose quality he already knew than in the attitude of a group that has been almost completely rebuilt. “I already knew that the players I am going to coach are very good,” he explains. “What is surprising me most positively is their mentality.”

One of his major tasks will be to quickly establish a common language between the seven signings and the players who remained at the club. He is not trying to reproduce Valencia. His ambition is different and clear: “We would like to have an identity, to be a little different from the way many teams play.”

The SuperCup title has enabled the season to begin in good conditions, without changing his caution. “This title reaffirms confidence. It is good for us individually and collectively, but every team has good moments and bad moments, and we have to be prepared for them,” Martínez says.

This is also the profile Real Madrid wants to see emerge: a club coach, comfortable within a structure where he does not need to control every decision to leave his mark. “I am very comfortable with Madrid’s sporting structure,” he says. His opinion is taken into account, but other people are responsible for monitoring the market and deciding what type of player is needed. In return, the club expects him to compete for every objective, build an identity and keep the team at the highest level.

Martínez knows difficult days will come: “We will lose, and that is something I am sure I take badly.” For now, he is enjoying every minute intensely. On Sunday, he will finally do so at home.