Real Madrid travel to Germany this weekend for their fourth pre-season friendly, with José Mourinho’s men set to face Schalke 04 at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday at 5:00 PM. The match will be broadcast live on Realmadrid TV, RM Play and La 1.
The Spanish giants have now officially announced their squad for the trip, and Mourinho has selected a strong group featuring several of Real Madrid’s biggest stars. With the start of the competitive season approaching, the clash against Schalke represents another important opportunity for the Portuguese coach to fine-tune his team and assess the physical condition of his players.
In goal, Mourinho has called up Thibaut Courtois, Andriy Lunin and Illia. Courtois’ presence is particularly significant as the Belgian goalkeeper continues working his way back to full fitness and could potentially be handed some minutes during the friendly.
The defensive group includes Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konaté, Marc Cucurella, Álvaro Carreras, Antonio Rüdiger, Denzel Dumfries and Mario Rivas. Mourinho therefore has plenty of options at the back, with experienced players such as Rüdiger joined by several new faces and younger talents looking to impress ahead of the new campaign.
The midfield is equally impressive. Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, Arda Güler, Bernardo Silva, Cestero and Alexis Ciria have all been included. This area of the pitch will be particularly interesting to watch, with Mourinho continuing to experiment with different combinations and tactical structures during pre-season.
Bernardo Silva is expected to continue building his rhythm following his recent arrival, while Bellingham and Valverde could play important roles as Real Madrid gradually move closer to their strongest possible starting XI.
Up front, Mourinho has selected Vinícius Jr., Kylian Mbappé, Carlos Espí, Brahim Díaz and Yan Diomande. Mbappé’s inclusion will undoubtedly attract plenty of attention, with supporters eager to see the French superstar in action as he continues his preparations for the new season.
Vinícius Jr. will also provide Real Madrid with pace and creativity on the left flank, while Diomande is another player who will be closely watched after making a strong impression during his first days with the squad.
🚨 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐋: Le GROUPE du Real Madrid pour le dernier match amical 🆚 Schalke. ✅⚔️
— RMadrid actu 🇫🇷 (@RMadrid_actu) August 15, 2026
✅ DIOMANDEEEEEEE, MBAPPEEEE, KONATEEEEE, CUCURELLAAAAAA pic.twitter.com/AayJw0qYOP
Real Madrid squad against Schalke 04
Goalkeepers: Courtois, Lunin, Illia.
Defenders: Huijsen, Trent, Konaté, Cucurella, Á. Carreras, Rüdiger, Dumfries, Mario Rivas.
Midfielders: Bellingham, Camavinga, Valverde, Arda Güler, Bernardo Silva, Cestero, Alexis Ciria.
Forwards: Vini Jr., Mbappé, C. Espí, Brahim Díaz, Diomande.
The friendly at the Veltins-Arena will be Real Madrid’s fourth pre-season match and an important final test for Mourinho’s squad. With several key players now back in the group, the Portuguese coach will be hoping to see further progress in terms of fitness, tactical understanding and overall team chemistry before the serious business begins.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to react.