| Real Madrid vs Schalke | |
| MATCH | Club Friendlies |
| DATE | 16 - 08 - 2026 |
| TIME | 08.30 PM IST |
| STADIUM | Stadium |
Schalke 04 vs Real Madrid: Pre-Season Match Preview
Schalke 04 will play their final pre-season fixture when they face Real Madrid, with both clubs using the encounter as an opportunity to complete their preparations for the 2026-27 campaign.
The German side have enjoyed a busy summer, playing six friendly matches and recording four victories. However, they head into this final test looking to respond after suffering a 3-0 defeat against Italian opposition Atalanta.
Miron Muslic's team will have little time to rest after this fixture, as they begin their competitive schedule with a DFB-Pokal meeting against Hallescher on August 24. Their Bundesliga campaign then gets underway against Augsburg on August 30.
Schalke are returning to Germany's top flight after winning the 2. Bundesliga last season. The Royal Blues were relegated from the Bundesliga in 2023 and will now be eager to establish themselves back among the country's elite.
The club have been active in the transfer market, bringing in six new players during the summer. Satoshi Tanaka, Junior Dina Ebimbe and Junior Adamu are among the arrivals, while seven players have departed, including Ilyes Hamache.
For Schalke, this fixture provides an ideal opportunity to test themselves against one of the biggest clubs in world football before competitive matches begin.
Real Madrid Pre-Season
Real Madrid have also used the summer to prepare for another demanding campaign, with this match representing their fourth and final pre-season outing.
Los Blancos started with an impressive 4-1 victory over Leganes before being held to a 2-2 draw by Fiorentina. They subsequently returned to winning ways with victories against Ferencvaros and Deportivo La Coruna.
Real Madrid will now turn their attention towards the start of the domestic season. Their opening La Liga fixture against Espanyol is scheduled for August 22, while their gameweek-one match against Real Sociedad has been postponed and will now be played on August 26.
The club have made several notable additions during the summer transfer window. Yan Diomande, Marc Cucurella, Carlos Espi, Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate and Bernardo Silva have all joined the squad, while Vinicius Junior has committed his future to the club with a new contract.
Gonzalo Garcia has been one of the most significant departures.
The fixture will also attract considerable attention because of Jose Mourinho's return to the Real Madrid dugout. His second spell in charge promises to be one of the major talking points of the new season, and this friendly will provide another opportunity to assess his tactical approach.
Schalke 04 Form
Schalke's recent results:
Loss – Win – Win – Win – Win – Loss
The Royal Blues have won four of their last six matches but enter this contest after a disappointing defeat against Atalanta.
Real Madrid Form
Real Madrid's pre-season results:
Win – Draw – Win – Win
The Spanish giants have avoided defeat in their last three friendly matches and will be aiming to finish preparations with another positive result.
Team News
Schalke will be without Adrian Gantenbein, who is unavailable because of injury. Otherwise, Muslic has a relatively healthy squad to choose from.
Loris Karius is expected to start in goal, while summer arrival Satoshi Tanaka could feature in midfield.
Experienced striker Edin Dzeko has extended his Schalke contract for another year and is expected to lead the attack as the German side prepare for their return to Bundesliga football.
Real Madrid have a longer injury list heading into the final friendly.
Endrick will miss the game because of a muscular problem, while Thibaut Courtois remains sidelined. Andriy Lunin is therefore expected to continue in goal.
Aurelien Tchouameni, Eder Militao, Raul Asencio, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy are also unavailable.
Kylian Mbappe has returned from World Cup duty and could make his first appearance under Mourinho, adding another major attacking threat to the Real Madrid lineup.
New signing Yan Diomande could also make his debut, while Marc Cucurella and Ibrahima Konate may receive their first minutes for the club, potentially as substitutes.
Jude Bellingham is another player to watch, with Mourinho yet to decide whether the midfielder will feature for the first time during pre-season.
Schalke 04 vs Real Madrid Prediction
Schalke's return to the Bundesliga is an exciting development, and facing Real Madrid should provide the German club with an excellent final test before competitive football begins.
However, Real Madrid possess significantly greater individual quality and have already shown encouraging form during pre-season. With several first-team players returning, Mourinho will also be keen to finish preparations on a high.
Schalke could create problems for stretches of the match, particularly with home support, but Real Madrid should have enough attacking quality to control the contest.
Prediction: Schalke 04 1-3 Real Madrid
