Real Madrid ended the pre-season with a convincing victory and the approval of José Mourinho. After the 3-0 victory over Schalke 04, on Sunday (16), in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, the coach assessed that the work developed in recent weeks is beginning to show on the field.
Mourinho approves of Real Madrid's development ahead of LaLiga debut
Real Madrid ended the pre-season with a convincing victory and the approval of José Mourinho. After the 3-0 victory over Schalke 04, on Sunday (16), in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, the coach assessed that the work developed in recent weeks is...
The Frenchman opened the scoring in the sixth minute after taking advantage of a mistake by the German defense. Huijsen added a header in the 20th minute, following a corner kick from Arda Güler, and Espí completed the result in the second half.
- More than the score, Mourinho highlighted the evolution in the collective organization.
- The Portuguese stated that Real has been assimilating the tactical concepts and demonstrating progress both with the ball and without it.
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Kylian Mbappé, Dean Huijsen and Carlos Espí scored the goals in the last friendly before their LaLiga debut. The Frenchman opened the scoring in the sixth minute after taking advantage of a mistake by the German defense. Huijsen added a header in the 20th minute, following a corner kick from Arda Güler, and Espí completed the result in the second half.
More than the score, Mourinho highlighted the evolution in the collective organization. The Portuguese stated that Real has been assimilating the tactical concepts and demonstrating progress both with the ball and without it.
“We are growing as a team”, summarized the coach. For Mourinho, the challenge now is to transform the individual quality of a star-studded squad into a team capable of functioning in a coordinated manner.
Mourinho recognizes physical differences between players
Real Madrid's preparation had a particularity this year. Part of the squad started work earlier, while some players re-introduced themselves later after competing in the 2026 World Cup.
Mourinho explained that the athletes who participated from the beginning accumulated around 30 training sessions, while the last ones to return had only three or four activities with the group. Therefore, there are still differences in pace, resistance and intensity between players.
Even so, the coach expressed satisfaction with the condition presented by those who arrived later. Mbappé and Konaté played for 45 minutes against Schalke, while Jude Bellingham, Marc Cucurella and Yan Diomande received around half an hour.
According to Mourinho, the use of each athlete was defined based on physical data and the players' own assessments of their conditions. The coach classified the current stage of the squad as “very acceptable” for this moment of the season.
Mbappé returns with a goal and stands out against Schalke
Among the players who returned later, Mbappé left an especially positive impression. The striker needed just a few minutes to score and was one of Schalke's main threats during the first half.
The Frenchman only played in the first 45 minutes, within the planning established by the technical committee. Still, he showed speed and intensity and actively participated in the team's main offensive actions before the break.
The friendly also served for Mourinho to observe new players. Konaté started as a starter, while Cucurella and Diomande made their first appearances for the team. Bellingham also gained his first minutes under the Portuguese coach.
Mourinho highlights the squad's commitment
Another point valued by Mourinho was the players' attitude outside of matches. The coach said that some athletes anticipated returning from vacation, while those who performed last arrived in good physical condition after individual work.
For the Portuguese, these behaviors show the group's level of commitment for the new season. Mourinho also highlighted that he has already identified greater cooperation between players during matches.
“The team is starting to look like a team,” he said.
The coach avoided, however, treating the work as completed. The assessment is that Real Madrid is still in the construction process, but already has a more consistent collective base to enter official competitions.
Real Madrid debuts in LaLiga against EspanyolAfter the last test in Germany, Real Madrid will have less than a week to prepare their first official match of the 2026/27 season.
Mourinho's team debuts in LaLiga on Saturday (22), against Espanyol, at the RCDE Stadium, in Barcelona. The clash will be valid for the second round of the Spanish Championship.
The victory over Schalke ended the preparation with good responses for Mourinho, especially due to the integration of the players who returned later and the collective evolution. Now, the coach will have the first test worth points to find out how much of this progress can be taken to the start of the official season.
Mourinho appears with a black eye at a Real Madrid game; know the reason
Coach caught attention during the 3-0 victory over Schalke 04, in Germany. The Spanish press later revealed that the mark on his face was caused by a ball during training, when Mourinho was wearing glasses