Mbappé and Espí Score in Real Madrid's 3-0 Win Over Schalke

Real Madrid concluded their preseason with a 3-0 victory against Schalke as Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the fifth minute.

Real Madrid defeated Schalke 3-0 in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday, securing a victory in their final preseason friendly of the summer. Kylian Mbappé initiated the scoring in the 5th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by Ron Schallenberg, who passed the ball directly to the French international. Dean Huijsen doubled the lead 15 minutes later, converting a header from an Arda Güler delivery. Substitute Carlos Espí completed the scoring in the 57th minute with a header assisted by Álvaro Carreras.

This result maintains an unbeaten four-game preseason streak for the LaLiga side under the management of new coach José Mourinho. The Spanish club utilized the fixture in Germany to integrate several new signings into the lineup. Ibrahima Konaté and Bernardo Silva were named in the starting eleven, while the bench featured Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries, Espí, and Yan Diomande.

Mbappé and Huijsen Secure Early Advantage

Following his early goal, Mbappé nearly added a second tally with a shot that traveled across the face of the goal. The pressure continued as Huijsen rose to meet Güler's cross to make it 2-0 at the 20-minute mark. Schalke's defense remained under duress throughout the first half, with Vinícius Júnior seeing a goal-bound effort blocked by the opposition.

Discipline became a factor shortly before the halftime whistle when the referee booked Mbappé for a physical altercation involving defender Nickola Katic. The teams entered the break with Madrid holding a two-goal cushion.

Second Half Rotations and Diomande Debut

José Mourinho implemented four changes during the interval, introducing goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, defender Antonio Rüdiger, midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, and forward Carlos Espí. The decision to bring on Espí yielded immediate results, as the centre-forward found the net just 12 minutes after his introduction.

At the hour mark, Real Madrid handed debuts to two more summer arrivals, Yan Diomande and Marc Cucurella. Additionally, Jude Bellingham saw his first minutes of the preseason after returning to team training on the preceding Wednesday.

Final Preparations for LaLiga Opener

Real Madrid will now transition to competitive play following their successful stint in Germany. The team is scheduled to play their first official match of the 2026-27 campaign next Saturday. This opening fixture will take place away from home against Espanyol.

The squad utilized a total of 17 players during the friendly, including six new signings who either started or appeared as substitutes. The clean sheet was shared between the starting goalkeeper and Lunin, who played the entirety of the second half. This victory concludes a preparation period where the team remained without a loss across four matches.

Schalke's Ron Schallenberg was responsible for the turnover that led to the opening goal, while Nickola Katic was the primary defender involved in the confrontation that led to the game's only yellow card for the visitors. The match served as the final exhibition before the LaLiga season commences on August 22.