Real Madrid may finally give competitive minutes to some of their summer arrivals against FC Schalke 04. Marc Cucurella and Yan Diomande are both in contention for first appearances in Gelsenkirchen, while Jude Bellingham is back in training after his return on Wednesday.
The debut chances against Schalke
Mundo Deportivo reported that Cucurella and Diomande are in the mix for Jose Mourinho's final pre-season test before Espanyol. That game is the last chance to run the eye over the new arrivals before the La Liga opener against Espanyol on August 22.
Diomande's situation stands out a little more. He was left out of the squad for the Deportivo La Coruña friendly after completing only two training sessions with the group, so even a place in the Schalke matchday squad would be a step forward.
Bellingham's return to training
Bellingham's return to training is the other useful update for Real Madrid. He has produced a 7.77 average rating across 8 appearances and 646 minutes, and his work on the training pitch gives the club one of their more productive midfield options back in the build-up to the season.
Cucurella's 7.05 rating across 8 appearances and 773 minutes explains why Madrid may want to integrate him quickly if Mourinho decides he is ready. Diomande has averaged 7.13 across 4 appearances and 295 minutes, so the raw form is there even if the training time has been limited.
The main point is straightforward: the Schalke friendly is less about the result and more about how many of these arrivals Mourinho trusts to use. Madrid then move on to Espanyol on August 22.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
