Real Madrid Secures 3-0 Victory Against Schalke in Pre-Season Friendly
Kylian Mbappe found the back of the net and received a yellow card, while Marc Cucurella and Yan Diomande made their Real Madrid debuts in Jose Mourinho's team's friendly win against Schalke at the Veltin-Arena.
Celebrating the stadium's 25th anniversary, the same venue where Mourinho clinched the Champions League with Porto in 2004, Real Madrid took an early lead. In the sixth minute, Mbappe capitalized on Ron Schallenberg's errant pass, skillfully converting the opportunity.
Madrid extended their advantage in the 20th minute when center-back Dean Huijsen headed in Arda Guler's corner. Mbappe was cautioned in the first half for seemingly disregarding the referee's instructions. Later, new forward Carlos Espi sealed the victory by heading Alvaro Carreras' cross into the far post with 33 minutes remaining.
Full-back Cucurella and winger Diomande were introduced five minutes after Espi's goal, alongside England international Jude Bellingham and new winger Denzel Dumfries.
Schalke vs Madrid: Mourinho's Side Signs Off in Style
Real Madrid concluded their pre-season campaign with a successful run, including victories against Leganes, Ferencvaros, and Deportivo La Coruna, along with a draw against Fiorentina. This friendly served as their final warm-up before commencing their Liga season against Espanyol on August 22nd.
Schalke, champions of the German second tier last season, are set to begin their campaign in the German Cup against fourth-tier side Hallescher on August 24th, followed by their league opener at Augsburg six days later.
Schalke's manager, Miron Muslic, had indicated prior to the match that the prestigious friendly was a lower priority compared to their upcoming cup fixture.
Schalke Team vs Real Madrid
Schalke Starting XI: Loris Karius, Hasan Kurucay, Timo Becker, Ron Schallenberg, Moussa Sylla, Junior Adamu, Dejan Ljubicic, Soufiane El-Faouzi, Adil Aouchiche, Nikola Katic, Vitalie Becker
Schalke Substitutes: Kevin Muller, Mertcan Ayhan, Janik Bachmann, Edin Dzeko, Christian Gomis, Dylan Leonard, Finn Porath, Satoshi Tanaka, Luca Vozar, Maximilian Wober
Madrid Team vs Schalke
Real Madrid made four changes to their lineup, with Thibaut Courtois returning in goal, Ibrahima Konate making his debut in defense, Federico Valverde being reintroduced in midfield, and Mbappe joining the attack.
Defender Eder Militao, midfielder Thiago Pitarch, and forward Rodrygo were sidelined due to knee injuries, as was Ferland Mendy with a tendon issue.
Real Madrid Starting XI: Thibaut Courtois, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras, Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Brahim Diaz, Arda Güler, Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe
Real Madrid Substitutes: Andrii Lunin, Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Marc Cucurella, Carlos Espi, Antonio Rudiger, Denzel Dumfries, Yan Diomande, Jorge Cestero, Mario Rivas, Alexis Ciria, Illia Voloshyn
Schalke v Real Madrid Stats
- Schalke faced a 4-2 defeat against Sevilla in their sole encounter with a Spanish side last season.
- Their last competitive meeting with a Spanish team was against Madrid in the Champions League last 16 in March 2015.
- That victory remains Schalke’s only win against Madrid in competitive matches.
- Cristiano Ronaldo was a prolific scorer for Madrid against Schalke in past encounters.
- Schalke's competitive record against Spanish teams is W8 D7 L12.
- Promoted as champions last season, Schalke displayed strong performance in the second tier.
- Loris Karius was a standout goalkeeper for Schalke, keeping numerous clean sheets.
- The last three Spanish clubs to visit Schalke competitively have secured victories.
- Real Madrid's competitive record against German teams is W44 D16 L26.
- They had a nine-game unbeaten run against German clubs prior to last season's defeats.
English Translation
Schalke 0-3 Madrid: Report, Result, Goals from Pre-Season Friendly
Kylian Mbappe scored and was cautioned, while Marc Cucurella and Yan Diomande made their Real Madrid debuts as Jose Mourinho’s side defeated Schalke in a friendly at the Veltin-Arena.
Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the stadium's opening, where Mourinho achieved Champions League glory with Porto against Monaco in 2004, Los Blancos secured a sixth-minute lead. Mbappe intercepted Ron Schallenberg’s misplaced pass and calmly slotted the ball home.
Centre-back Dean Huijsen headed in Arda Guler’s corner for Madrid’s second goal in the 20th minute. In the first half, Mbappe was booked for appearing to ignore refereeing instructions. Later, new forward Carlos Espi headed in Alvaro Carreras’ searching cross at the far post with 33 minutes remaining to complete the scoring.
Full-back Cucurella and winger Diomande entered the match five minutes after Espi’s goal, alongside England international Jude Bellingham and new winger Denzel Dumfries.
Schalke vs Madrid: Mourinho's Side Signs Off in Style
Real Madrid enjoyed a strong pre-season, securing wins against Leganes, Ferencvaros, and Deportivo La Coruna, along with a draw against Fiorentina. This victory marked their final warm-up before their Liga campaign kicks off against Espanyol on August 22nd.
Schalke, last season's German second-tier champions, will begin their season away to fourth-tier side Hallescher in the German Cup on August 24th, followed by their league opener at Augsburg six days later.
Home manager Miron Muslic had suggested prior to the game that the prestigious friendly was less of a priority than their cup contest.
Schalke Team vs Real Madrid
Schalke Starting XI: Loris Karius, Hasan Kurucay, Timo Becker, Ron Schallenberg, Moussa Sylla, Junior Adamu, Dejan Ljubicic, Soufiane El-Faouzi, Adil Aouchiche, Nikola Katic, Vitalie Becker
Schalke Substitutes: Kevin Muller, Mertcan Ayhan, Janik Bachmann, Edin Dzeko, Christian Gomis, Dylan Leonard, Finn Porath, Satoshi Tanaka, Luca Vozar, Maximilian Wober
Madrid Team vs Schalke
Madrid made four changes to their lineup, including the return of Thibaut Courtois in goal, a debut for Ibrahima Konate in defense, the reintroduction of Federico Valverde in midfield, and Mbappe – last season's Liga top scorer – coming in up front.
Defender Eder Militao, midfielder Thiago Pitarch, and forward Rodrygo were all out with knee injuries, as was Ferland Mendy (tendon).
Real Madrid Starting XI: Thibaut Courtois, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras, Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Brahim Diaz, Arda Güler, Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe
Real Madrid Substitutes: Andrii Lunin, Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Marc Cucurella, Carlos Espi, Antonio Rudiger, Denzel Dumfries, Yan Diomande, Jorge Cestero, Mario Rivas, Alexis Ciria, Illia Voloshyn
Schalke v Real Madrid Stats
- Schalke suffered a 4-2 defeat to Sevilla in their only meeting with a Spanish side last season, Moussa Sylla and Mauro Zalazar scoring in front of almost 46,000 fans in a friendly in July 2025 in Gelsenkirchen.
- Their last competitive meeting with a Spanish team was against Madrid in the Champions League last 16 in March 2015, winning 4-3 away but exiting 5-4 on aggregate.
- That is Schalke’s only win over Madrid, losing 6-1 at home and 3-1 away at the same stage of the 2013/14 competition in their other encounters.
- Madrid all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in three of those matches and once in another for a total of seven goals against Schalke.
- In competitive games against Spanish teams, Schalke’s record is W8 D7 L12, last prevailing in such a match with a 3-1 home victory over Valencia in the 2010/11 Champions League last 16 to complete a 4-2 aggregate win.
- Promoted as champions last season, The Royal Blues won three more matches (21) than any other team in the second tier and had the best defensive record by eight goals, conceding 31 times across 34 league games.
- Loris Karius kept two more clean sheets (13) than any other goalkeeper in the division, twice helping Schalke keep four clean sheets across five consecutive matches in the league.
- The last three Spanish clubs to visit Schalke competitively have won, including Athletic Club triumphing 4-2 in the 2011/12 Europa League quarter-finals as part of a tie they won 6-4 on aggregate.
- Los Blancos’ competitive record against German teams is W44 D16 L26, although they lost both such games last season with a 2-1 home defeat and 4-3 away loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.
- They had won their preceding four such matches as part of a nine-game unbeaten run against German clubs (W7 D2).
Fresh materials — Football News

England 3-0 Czechia: Kane Marks Record-Tying Cap with Brace in Routine Win
Harry Kane celebrated his 125th appearance for England, a milestone matching Peter Shilton's record, by scoring twice in England's comfortable 3-0 UEFA Nations League win against Czechia. This victory concluded the international break with England securing their third win in four matches. T

Spain Advances to Nations League Quarter-Finals After Comeback Win Over Croatia
Mikel Merino powered Spain to a 2-1 victory over 10-man Croatia, clinching a spot in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals with two matches remaining. Croatia took the lead in the 17th minute. Ivan Perišić scored on the rebound after Unai Simón saved Igor Matanović's attempt, following good

Lukebakio Secures Belgium's Lead Against France with Lavia's Assist
Dodi Lukebakio has given Belgium a surprise lead away in France with a clinical finish. The two teams are concluding their Nations League campaign with their fourth group game, in a tightly contested Group A1 where the winner of this match will go top. France won the previous encounter 1-0

Portugal Secures Quarter-Final Spot with 2-1 Win Over Norway
Portugal earned a place in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals. They beat Norway 2-1, maintaining a perfect record under coach Jorge Jesus. The team came from behind to secure the win. Kristoffer Ajer scored for Norway in the 36th minute with a remarkable strike. Portugal responded sho

Tuchel Hails 'Complete Performance' as England Thrashes Croatia
Thomas Tuchel praised his team's "complete performance" following England's 7-0 demolition of Croatia, a significant result during his tenure. The Three Lions dominated in Rijeka, with Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka both scoring twice. Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, and substitute Morgan Roge

England Crushes Croatia 7-0 in Dominant UEFA Nations League Display
England inflicted Croatia's worst-ever defeat, scoring seven goals in their UEFA Nations League match. Thomas Tuchel's side showed a significant class advantage, securing a ruthless victory. Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka each scored two goals. Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, and Morgan Roge