Real Madrid News
Confirmed: Real Madrid squad list to face Inter Milan – three stars return
Real Madrid will lock horns with Inter Milan later tonight in their first league phase encounter of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League.
Coming into the game on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Real Betis in La Liga, the Spanish capital club will be eager to bounce back and secure all three points at the Santiago Bernabeu tonight.
Ahead of the game, manager Jose Mourinho has announced the squad list of players who will be available at his disposal against Cristian Chivu’s team.
And, the Portuguese tactician has welcomed three players back to the squad as midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni and Thiago Pitarch, and Endrick have returned from their injury issues.
This is the first time that the three players have been included in the squad under Mourinho this season after having picked up problems during pre-season.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid go into the contest without players like Arda Guler, Eduardo Camavinga and Bernardo Silva, who are suspended.
Raul Asencio, Eder Militao, and Rodrygo are out injured, while Ferland Mendy is also injured and has not been registered in the competition either.
Andriy Lunin is also unavailable after missing training yesterday due to an illness.
Youngsters Jorge Cestero, Mario Rivas, Sergio Mestre, and Javi Navarro have been called up.
📋✅ ¡Nuestros convocados!
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) September 8, 2026
🆚 @Inter_es pic.twitter.com/2hmtAAD7Kd
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid academy strategy pays off with €210m windfall and 34 Spain internationals – report
Real Madrid’s academy has been a huge success story in recent seasons, even if not many players have found a place in the first team.
Los Blancos have used Castilla as one of the main sources of revenue to fund their first team, and the value of the academy has continued to increase.
According to AS, Madrid generated €210 million from academy-related player operations during the summer.
Meanwhile, 34 players developed at the club have represented Spain across the different men’s national-team age groups during the current international period.
Valdebebas producing players at every level
That international presence stretches from the senior Spain squad, featuring academy products Ivan Fresneda, Victor Munoz and Fran Garcia, all the way down to the Under-16s.
The results at academy level have also been impressive, with Madrid securing the league, Champions Cup, Youth League and Intercontinental Cup.
Behind those results is a structure involving around 300 players, 50 coaches and 40 scouts, with academy director Manuel Fernandez overseeing the project.
The objective is not simply to build youth teams capable of winning trophies. Madrid want players with genuine elite potential.
Some, such as Raul Asencio and Thiago Pitarch, can eventually help the first team. Others can develop into valuable assets sought by clubs across Europe’s top leagues.
€210 million demonstrates the financial value
The financial pathway has become increasingly important.
Madrid’s €210 million return was driven by several major operations, including €60 million from Como for Nico Paz and €40 million from Fulham for Gonzalo Garcia.
Victor Munoz, Mario Gila, Alvaro Rodriguez, Alex Jimenez, Palacios and Jacobo were among the other academy products whose moves exceeded €10 million.
Crucially, most of that €210 million came from footballers who never held a permanent first-team squad place.
La Fabrica does not need every player to become a starter
The strongest argument for Madrid’s model is that an academy cannot realistically produce a first-team starter every season when the senior squad is already at such a high level.
Judging La Fabrica only by how many youngsters establish themselves at the Bernabeu therefore misses much of its value.
Madrid are creating several successful outcomes instead: first-team players, internationals and valuable footballers who generate significant transfer income.
Thirty-four Spain representatives and €210 million in one summer tell you that the proof is in the pudding.
Madrid will hope their academy can continue to be as productive in the coming years, and it remains to be seen how things play out.
