Real Madrid News
Real Madrid key midfield duo doubts for Schalke friendly – report
Real Madrid will face Schalke 04 on Sunday, August 16, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany in their final pre-season friendly of the summer.
Indeed, it will be the team’s final game before the official start of their La Liga season on August 22, when Jose Mourinho’s side visit Espanyol in Barcelona.
For the match in Germany, Mourinho will be able to call on new signings Yan Diomande, Marc Cucurella and Ibrahima Konate, none of whom has made their Real Madrid debut yet.
Kylian Mbappe, who returned to training this week after his World Cup break, could also make their first appearance under the Portuguese tactician in Germany.
Bellingham and Tchouameni remain doubts
However, according to Mundo Deportivo, the biggest question marks ahead of the Schalke match are Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Bellingham returned to training on Wednesday and Mourinho will now decide whether the English midfielder is ready to be included in the squad.
Tchouameni is in a similar situation. The Frenchman is recovering from a minor muscular problem and is expected to be fit for the league opener, but his participation against Schalke remains uncertain.
Both players are expected to be key components of Mourinho’s plans for the upcoming season.
Bellingham will be reinstated to his preferred position as an attacking midfielder operating just behind the centre-forward.
As for Tchouameni, he will have to compete with the likes of Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, and Eduardo Camavinga for a spot in the double pivot.
However, for now, their involvement for the game against Schalke is uncertain.
Six players to stay in Madrid
As for the other absentees, Real Madrid will definitely be without Raul Asencio, Ferland Mendy, Rodrygo, Thiago Pitarch and Eder Militao, all of whom are recovering from injuries.
The five players will remain in Madrid to continue their rehabilitation while the rest of the squad travels to Germany.
Meanwhile, as reported just a while ago, Endrick has suffered a muscle overload and is expected to miss the game against Schalke as well.
Mourinho will hope that the Brazilian, along with Bellingham and Tchouameni, will be ready and available to face Espanyol next week.
Real Madrid News
Inter Milan boss Chivu praises Mourinho ahead of Real Madrid showdown: ‘A special person’
Inter Milan head coach Cristian Chivu has described Jose Mourinho as “a special person” ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League meeting with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Romanian spent two seasons playing under Mourinho at Inter between 2008 and 2010, a period that culminated in the club winning the Champions League at the very same stadium in 2010.
A serial winner
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Chivu reflected warmly on his former manager.
“He’s a special person who I was lucky enough to meet in my life. He gave me important help during a difficult period of my life, and I’ll never forget that,” Chivu said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
Chivu also praised Mourinho’s ability to influence the teams he manages and instil his mentality in his players.
“He’s very good at immersing himself in the reality of the team he represents and transmitting his mentality. He’s a winner who knows how to communicate things at the right moment. Very few people know how to do that like he does,” he said.
“He has won everywhere he has been, and I’m sure Real Madrid will have a great season.”
Despite his admiration for Mourinho, Chivu insisted that the Portuguese has not served as a template for his own coaching career.
Asked whether he takes inspiration from his former manager, the Inter boss replied: “I’ve never copied anyone. I have my own idea of football, which has been built through my years as a player and as a coach.”
Chivu assesses Mourinho’s Real Madrid
Chivu believes it is still too early to draw firm conclusions about Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid.
“It’s still very early. It has been a fairly balanced start, although they lost their last match undeservedly because they played very well,” he said.
“They’re a team with a great history and a coach who knows how to do things.”
“Playing at the Bernabeu is not easy for anyone”
With Mourinho in the dugout and Chivu in defence, Inter defeated Bayern Munich in the 2010 Champions League final at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The now-Inter manager believes returning to the stadium where they lifted the trophy 16 years ago will provide a special occasion, although he knows the challenge facing his team.
“The stadium has been renovated and it’s even more beautiful. It has a great tradition and today it’s more beautiful and more modern. We like playing a Champions League match in this stadium,” he said.
“Playing at the Bernabeu is not easy for anyone. Inter haven’t won here for 60 years. We’ll do everything possible and we want to show that we’re competitive and that we have the desire to dominate.
“There’s no perfect way to play against Real Madrid because they have players who can make the difference regardless of the plan you have.”
Inter arrive in Madrid after recovering from a difficult game against Napoli, while Chivu prepares to face the coach who played such an important role in his career.
