Real Madrid have returned to work at the Ciudad Real Madrid as José Mourinho’s squad begin preparations for their final friendly match of the pre-season. The Spanish giants will face Schalke 04 in Germany on Sunday at 5:00 PM, with the encounter set to be broadcast live on Realmadrid TV and RM Play.
The session came shortly after Real Madrid lifted the Teresa Herrera Trophy following their victory over Deportivo La Coruña. With the start of the competitive season getting closer, Mourinho and his coaching staff are now focused on ensuring that the squad reaches the opening fixtures in the best possible physical and tactical condition.
Sunday’s meeting with Schalke 04 will represent the final opportunity for Mourinho to assess his players in a match environment before the beginning of the official campaign. The Portuguese coach has used the summer preparation period to test different formations, give opportunities to younger players and gradually increase the workload of several members of the squad.
During the latest training session at Valdebebas, the players who had accumulated the most minutes against Deportivo followed a specific recovery programme. The objective was to manage their physical condition after the demanding encounter in La Coruña while helping them recover ahead of the next stage of the pre-season.
The rest of the squad completed a more intensive session on the pitch. The players began with physical exercises without the ball before moving on to tactical drills focused on pressing and possession. Mourinho and his staff also placed particular emphasis on finishing exercises, as Real Madrid continue working on their attacking efficiency.
The training session concluded with a series of small-sided matches, allowing the players to work on intensity, quick decision-making and movement in reduced spaces. These exercises also gave Mourinho another opportunity to observe the competitiveness within his squad as players continue fighting for places in the starting eleven.
There were also updates regarding several members of the team who are working their way back to full fitness. Aurélien Tchouaméni trained individually on the pitch without the ball as he continues his specific programme.
Meanwhile, Raúl Asencio, Ferland Mendy, Éder Militão, Rodrygo and Thiago continued their respective recovery processes. The medical and coaching staff will continue monitoring their progress carefully as Real Madrid prepare for the start of a demanding new season.
🚨🚨 BELLINGHAM 🏴, DIOMANDÉ 🇨🇮 ET MBAPPÉ 🇫🇷 À L’ENTRAÎNEMENT AVEC LE REAL MADRID. 🏃🏽♂️🤍 pic.twitter.com/YlKo9lJqBq
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The friendly against Schalke 04 will therefore be another important test for Mourinho’s side. Beyond the result, the priority will be to improve the team’s rhythm, tactical organisation and physical condition.
After several weeks of preparation and a successful outing in the Teresa Herrera Trophy, Real Madrid will now look to finish their pre-season on a positive note in Germany. Mourinho will hope to see further progress from his players before turning his full attention towards the beginning of competitive action.
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