Real Madrid News
Real Madrid to play four-match pre-season matches as Jose Mourinho opts against USA tour
Real Madrid have finalised their preparations for the 2026-27 campaign, with the club putting together a packed pre-season schedule that will be played entirely in Europe.
According to AS, Los Blancos have scheduled four friendly matches before returning to competitive action, while the possibility of adding a fifth fixture remains on the table.
The latest Real Madrid news also confirms that the club will not embark on a traditional summer tour of the United States.
Instead, Jose Mourinho and the coaching staff have decided to keep the squad closer to home as they prepare for the new season, making full use of the additional time created by the postponement of the club’s opening La Liga fixture.
With Real Madrid’s La Liga opener postponed, the Spanish giants will not begin their league campaign until the second matchday, when they travel to face Espanyol on August 23.
Real Madrid 2026/27 pre-season: Austria trip and Teresa Herrera Trophy
⏩ AMISTOSO CONFIRMADO
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) July 9, 2026
🆚 @RCDeportivo
🏆 Trofeo Teresa Herrera
🗓️ 12/08 | 21:00 CEST pic.twitter.com/K89A3R0XG4
The Real Madrid pre-season matches ahead of the 2026/27 will begin on August 1 when Mourinho’s side travel to Austria for their opening friendly.
It continues a recent tradition after the club also played a summer fixture in Austria last year as part of their preparations.
One of the headline fixtures in the Real Madrid pre-season fixtures is already confirmed, with Los Blancos set to take part in the prestigious Teresa Herrera Trophy against newly-promoted Deportivo.
Furthermore, the club has also arranged four friendlies in total, split between Spain and other European countries, while officials are also considering one additional behind-closed-doors match if Mourinho believes the squad requires more minutes before the league campaign gets underway.
The potential fifth game would follow a similar approach to last summer’s private friendly against Leganes.
No USA tour as Mourinho focuses on Valdebebas preparations
One of the biggest talking points surrounding the Real Madrid summer plans is the decision to avoid overseas travel.
Unlike previous years, Real Madrid will not travel to the USA. Rather than spending valuable time travelling, Mourinho and the club have chosen to keep preparations in Europe.
The report adds that the pre-season plans initially included discussions over a short training camp in northern Europe, although after internal conversations, the coaching staff opted to base the squad at Valdebebas.
According to TeamTalk, Real Madrid have joined the growing list of clubs monitoring Gabriel Rajkovic, a 15-year-old winger whose rapid development at Valerenga has already attracted attention from several of Europe’s leading sides.
The Merengues are known for keeping an eye on exciting young talent across the globe and it seems that Rajkovic’s exploits in Norway, with the first team, have alerted them.
Real Madrid keeping tabs on Rajkovic
As per the report, Real Madrid are among a host of clubs closely following the progress of the young forward.
Rajkovic holds both Norwegian and Serbian nationality and has emerged as one of the most promising young players in Norway.
His development has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund also understood to be monitoring him.
However, at this point, it is Arsenal and Chelsea, who are understood to be leading the charge for Rajkovic, having compiled a detailed dossier on the teenage prodigy after extensive scouting.
On top of that, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched Rajkovic in recent weeks.
Real Madrid could therefore face significant competition if they decide to step up their interest in a player who has already made an impression at senior level.
Making an impact at just 15
Rajkovic was handed a promotion to the Valerenga first-team squad in January earlier this year, when he was only 14 years old.
Following that, he signed a new contract with the club in March, when he turned 15, committing to the club until 2028.
Despite being only 15, the winger has already begun gaining experience in first-team football. In all, he has made 14 senior appearances for the Norwegian outfit, scoring three and assisting one goal.
Rajkovic has also represented Norway Under-16s, making two appearances and scoring once despite being younger than many of his teammates.
Those numbers become more impressive when his age and stage of development are taken into account.
Real Madrid have built a reputation for identifying young talent well before players reach their peak, and Rajkovic has now emerged as another name on their scouting radar.
But given the number of clubs in the race, signing the teenage wonderkid will not be easy.
