All articles tagged with #real madrid
Real Madrid beat Espanyol 2-1 with Arda Güler delivering a creative masterclass (seven key passes and an assist) and substitute Carlos Espí scoring the late winner; Bellingham added a superb header as the Madrid defense held firm and Courtois had little to do.
Real Madrid published their starting XI for the La Liga opener vs Espanyol: Courtois; Dumfries, Konaté, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Bernardo Silva; Bellingham, Güler, Vinicius; Mbappé. Espanyol’s XI is listed as Dmitrovic; El Hilali, Riedel, Unai Núlez, Hinojo; Urko, Edu Expósito; Calatrava, Javier Hernández, Dolan; Roberto (TBC). The match takes place on 08/22/2026 at 21:30 CEST at Cornellá-El Prat, with Espanyol entering off a 3-0 win in their opener; broadcast in Spain on DAZN La Liga and in the USA on ESPN Deportes (ESPN+ for streaming).
Mourinho, back for a second spell at Real Madrid, said the club didn’t need Rodri after Barcelona signed the Spain midfielder, noting Madrid made a strong offer but Rodri had doubts about his future. Madrid emphasized they have other quality options and potential signings could still come, ahead of their La Liga opener with Espanyol.
Mourinho revealed Real Madrid made a very good offer to Rodri, but the Spain midfielder hesitated and ultimately signed for Barcelona in a €75m move, with Rodri later saying Barca was his first choice, drawn to Hansi Flick’s style.
Rodri chose Barcelona over Real Madrid, triggering a fiery Madrid reaction led by AS columnist Tomas Roncero, who said Real had offered a huge contract but Barca's pull—via Deco, Laporta, Hansi Flick and Guardiola—swayed him. He argued Barcelona has less pressure and fewer European ambitions than Real Madrid, wished Rodri well, and teased that Barca might not win another Champions League, while contrasting Barca's Montjuic venue with Real's modern Bernabéu.
Real Madrid cruised to a 3-0 win over Schalke in a preseason friendly. Mbappé opened with a sharp early goal and looked lively, Vinícius Júnior appeared off pace in the early fixtures, Fede Valverde showed better balance alongside Bernardo Silva, Mourinho faces a tactical puzzle to fit Arda Güler and Jude Bellingham together, and Carlos Espi stood out with strong pressing and hold‑up play.
Valdano argues Rodri would have dramatically transformed Real Madrid’s midfield—speeding up build‑ups and improving distribution—more than he would have altered Barcelona’s approach. He suggests Barca would benefit but not redefine its identity under Flick, while Madrid would gain an influential, game‑changing presence. He also notes Rodri’s value is measured by influence (roughly 40m for Madrid vs 35m for Barca) rather than goal output.
Real Madrid defeated Schalke 3-0 in a pre-season friendly, with Mbappé opening the scoring early and Arda Güler delivering a standout display (8.5). Lunin added a solid cameo with three saves, Espi produced a superb header and effective hold-up play, while Vinícius Jr. struggled on the wing and Courtois was barely tested.
Real Madrid published its starting lineup for the final preseason game against Schalke in Germany: Courtois; Konate; Huijsen; Carreras; Valverde; Silva; Guler; Brahim; Vinicius; Mbappé. Schalke’s lineup was listed as Karius, Becker, Becker, Kurucai, Ayhan, Tanaka, El-Faouzi, Aouchiche, Ebimbe, Karaman, Adamau (TBC). The match is scheduled for 17:00 CET on Aug 16, 2026 at Gelsenkirchen and will be shown on Real Madrid TV.
Real Madrid beat Deportivo A Coruña 1-0 to win the Teresa Herrera Trophy, Brahim Díaz scoring, their first win of the trophy since 2013. The result came in a pre-season test with rotating lineups; Mourinho said he’ll limit minutes for some players and that “next week, the real work begins” as Madrid refines tactics before La Liga starts.
Real Madrid announced its starting XI for the second 2026 preseason friendly against Ferencvaros in Budapest (Lunin, Dumfries, Martinez, Rivas, Carreras, Camavinga, Valverde, Güler, Ciria, Brahim, Endrick). Ferencvaros published its lineup as well. The match serves as Madrid’s depth-building ahead of their upcoming game with Deportivo, with Real Madrid TV covering the action.
Vinicius Junior signed a six-year contract with Real Madrid through 2032, reportedly worth a net ~€25 million per year with improved image rights, effectively ending Arsenal’s pursuit as they prepared to bid; Real Madrid’s push, reportedly supported by manager Jose Mourinho, comes as Vinicius has 128 goals and 100 assists in 375 appearances, with formal confirmation still pending.
Real Madrid officially completed the transfer of Yan Diomandé from RB Leipzig for up to about €140 million with bonuses, a landmark move for a Bundesliga youngster that strengthens Madrid’s attacking depth while Leipzig faces a rebuild and Bayern remains shaped by Europe’s talent hunt for top players.
Real Madrid announced the signing of Ivory Coast international Yan Diomande through 2033, with manager Jose Mourinho reportedly playing a decisive role by personally speaking French with the player about the project and how he would fit in, according to The Athletic via Managing Madrid; Diomande is expected to add pace and verticality to Madrid’s attack.
Rodri has told Real Madrid he would prefer to join Barcelona if he leaves Manchester City this summer, allowing Barça to begin formal talks; Madrid’s cautious approach and doubts about persuading him have weakened their bid, while City prepare for life after Rodri by seeking a potential successor, with a reported fee around €60m.