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Three Things We Learned As Real Madrid Wrap Preseason With Straightforward Win

The practice is now over for José Mourinho and his team.
Jamie Spencer|
Kylian Mbappé is back in business.
Kylian Mbappé is back in business. | Mario Hommes/DeFodi Images/Getty Images

Real Madrid made easy work of a 3–0 win in their final preseason match of the summer against Schalke 04 at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on Sunday.

For José Mourinho, the stadium holds treasured memories. It was the site of his 2004 Champions League final triumph with Porto, effectively the moment which launched the rest of his career. As he prepares to properly begin his second stint with Los Blancos, it felt fitting that this should be the last stop of the rehearsal tour before the real thing gets underway.

Real Madrid didn’t have to wait long to take the lead, provided by Kylian Mbappé six minutes into his first match since scoring 10 goals at the 2026 World Cup.

The passage of play started as a containment job from Mourinho’s team, allowing Schalke to pass the ball around just inside their own half. But then Mbappé triggered the press that brought Bernardo Silva and Arda Güler out of midfield, panicking the Schalke players and resulting in an attempted pass from Ron Schallenberg back to goalkeeper Loris Karius that the Frenchman picked off. The finish beyond the ex-Liverpool stopper was a simple one.

Dean Huijsen scored the second in the 20th minute, a head from a Güler corner.

Then, halftime substitute Carlos Espí added a clinical third with just under an hour played, heading in at the far post following Álvaro Carreras’s break and cross from the left.

Important Minutes for Returning Stars, Debutants

Yan Diomande
Yan Diomande was quickly back in Germany. | Bernd Thissen/picture alliance/Getty Images

La Liga’s 2026-27 season officially started this weekend.

But while Alavés got off to the dream start against Getafe on Saturday and RC Deportivo will make a long-awaited top flight return on Monday by hosting Elche, Real Madrid were among the handful of clubs that took the option of deferring opening day fixtures.

It was something that was agreed upon at a league vote in June, with the idea that teams relying on players who were at the World Cup earlier this summer might benefit from more time to get things in order before beginning the season. For reference elsewhere, the Premier League doesn’t start until next weekend and the Bundesliga begins the week after that.

There was therefore the opportunity for Mbappé’s first match since July 18’s World Cup third-place playoff not to be in a competitive fixture. Ibrahima Konaté, Yan Diomande and Marc Cucurella all made unofficial debuts for the club in a gentler setting.

Jude Bellingham was also back to make a first impression on Mourinho.

They won’t be going in quite so cold at RCDE Stadium in Barcelona next week.

Who Will Be Mourinho’s Starting Defense?

Dean Huijsen
Has Dean Huijsen done enough to start next weekend? | INA FASSBENDER/AFP/Getty Images

Carreras had a strong game at left back that he will feel glad about given the competition that now exists from Cucurella, with Trent Alexander-Arnold further staking his claim at right back after Denzel Dumfries has added to the ranks on that side. The starting fullbacks each played 61 minutes, before being replaced by the new signings trying to take their places.

Mourinho will feel satisfied to have two good players for each fullback position.

In the middle, Éder Militão is expected to return from injury some time in September, ruling him out of contention for at least a few more weeks.

Huijsen stands a good chance of getting the nod from the manager against Espanyol next Saturday, with Konaté trying to hold off Antonio Rüdiger for the other spot. The latter pair shared a half each of this match against Schalke.

Espi Winning Endrick Battle

Endrick didn’t even make the trip to Germany amid reported muscle discomfort in the days beforehand. There is an expectation he will now stay at Real Madrid beyond the upcoming transfer deadline, but the Brazilian begins the season as third-choice striker and may not have actually gained anything from outlasting Gonzalo García, now of Fulham.

Espí’s form since arriving from Levante has put him as the first alternative to Mbappé, whom he replaced at halftime. The young Spaniard had previously swapped in for Endrick in the previous two friendly matches against RC Deportivo and Ferencváros, now scoring in two of his last three appearances. Endrick hasn’t scored at all in preseason, despite getting starts.

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Jamie Spencer
JAMIE SPENCER

Jamie Spencer is a writer and editor for SI FC. Jamie grew up in Manchester, England, in the 1990s and fell in love with the game at the same time as the Premier League was taking off. With more than a decade of experience behind him in sports media, he specializes in Manchester United and the overall Premier League, still living in England’s north-west soccer hotbed. Jamie is also an expert on the women’s game and enjoys old school nostalgia, telling stories from soccer’s rich history and culture.

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