Real Madrid secured a 3-0 victory against German side Schalke 04 in a pre-season friendly as manager Jose Mourinho continued preparing his squad for the upcoming season. The Spanish club fielded a strong team featuring returning stars and new defensive additions for the match.
French forward Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring in the sixth minute after returning to the lineup following a post-World Cup break. Mbappe capitalized on an erratic pass from a Schalke player, drove into the penalty area, and placed a low shot past German goalkeeper Loris Karius in a single-handed breakaway.
Defender Dean Huijsen doubled the lead for Real Madrid in the 20th minute. Huijsen rose highest inside the box to connect with an accurate corner kick from Arda Guler, powering a firm header into the net.
Halftime changes and third goal
Mourinho made sweeping changes at halftime to manage player fitness. Returning starters Thibaut Courtois, Ibrahima Konate, Guler, and Mbappe were taken off, with Andriy Lunin, Antonio Rudiger, Eduardo Camavinga, and Espi brought on as replacements. It marked the first appearance in central defense for French center-back Konate following his inclusion in the starting team.
Substitute Espi made an immediate impact by scoring Real Madrid's third goal in the 57th minute, just 11 minutes after entering the pitch. Full-back Carreras broke free down the left wing and sent a precise cross directly onto the head of the young Spaniard, who finished cleanly.
Mourinho introduced further substitutions shortly after the third goal. Schalke 04 struggled to generate offense and were unable to score even a single consolation goal before the final whistle blew.
Pre-season form
The win represents Real Madrid's fourth victory in five pre-season matches. The Spanish giants have suffered no losses during their current preparations, with their only minor setback coming in a 2-2 draw against Italian club Fiorentina.
Real Madrid started the match with Courtois in goal behind a defense of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Huijsen, and Carreras. Federico Valverde and Bernardo Silva anchored the central midfield, while Brahim Diaz, Guler, and Vinicius Junior supported Mbappe in attack. Schalke 04 lined up with Karius in goal, a back four of Timo Becker, Patric Katic, Hasan Kurucay, and Vitaly Becker, a midfield of Ron Schallenberg and Zaid El-Faouzi, behind an attacking trio of Faride Adamu, Robert Ljubicic, and Adil Aouchiche supporting striker Moussa Sylla.
