Mourinho names Real Madrid squad for Schalke friendly, Mbappe leads attack

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has announced the squad for today’s pre-season friendly against Schalke, set for 4 p.m. at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen. The lineup features Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Yan Diomande leading the attack, with goalkeepers Thibaut Courtois, Andriy Lunin and Illia; defenders Huijsen, Trent, Konaté, Cucurella, Á. Carreras, Rüdiger, Dumfries and Mario Rivas; midfielders Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, Arda Güler, Bernardo, Cestero and Alexis Ciria; and forwards Vinicius, Mbappe, C. Espí, Brahim and Diomande.

The match comes after Madrid’s 1-0 win over Deportivo in their last outing, giving Mourinho a chance to test combinations ahead of the new season. For Nigerian fans, seeing Mbappe and Vinicius start signals their continued importance, while the inclusion of young talents like Diomande and Cestero hints at squad depth.

Kick‑off is 4 p.m. local time (3 p.m. in Nigeria). Check local sports broadcasters or streaming platforms for live coverage. Watching the game offers a early look at how Madrid’s new tactics and player rotations might shape their campaign, and whether any of the featured players could influence transfer talks or fantasy league picks.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/16/mourinho-releases-real-madrids-squad-to-face-schalke/