Real Madrid News
Real Madrid’s first La Liga match of 2026/27: Date, time and opponent
Real Madrid are edging closer to their first competitive match of the 2026-27 season, with Jose Mourinho preparing his side for a delayed start to their La Liga campaign.
While the new Spanish league season is already underway, Real Madrid will not begin their title challenge on the opening matchday.
Instead, Los Blancos are scheduled to make their La Liga debut away to Espanyol on Saturday, August 22 at 9:30 pm local time.
The fixture will also mark Mourinho’s first competitive league match since taking charge of Real Madrid’s new sporting project.
Notably, Real Madrid’s delayed start is linked to scheduling changes following the summer World Cup, which has forced adjustments to the early La Liga fixture list.
As a result, the opening weeks of the season will be particularly demanding for Mourinho’s squad.
Real Madrid begin La Liga season away to Espanyol
The Espanyol vs Real Madrid clash will be the first official league test of the new campaign for Los Blancos.
An away match against the Catalan side is far from the easiest way to begin a season, especially for a team working under a new manager and adapting to a fresh tactical approach.
Real Madrid will be under pressure to make an immediate statement, as every point matters in a La Liga title race, and Mourinho will want his players to establish momentum from the very beginning.
The match comes after a busy pre-season programme, which has given the Real Madrid manager time to assess his squad and prepare his team for the demands ahead.
Before their competitive debut, Los Blancos will have faced Deportivo de la Coruña in the Teresa Herrera Trophy and are now set to face Schalke 04.
Those matches will give Mourinho further opportunities to fine-tune his plans before the real business begins.
Lastly, the Real Madrid squad is also believed to be close to its final shape for the new season, although the situation could still change if there are late departures.
Real Sociedad fixture creates hectic start
Real Madrid’s unusual opening schedule does not end with Espanyol.
Just days after their away trip, Los Blancos are set to face Real Sociedad on Wednesday, August 26, in the fixture that was originally meant to form part of their opening weekend.
That leaves Mourinho with a quick turnaround immediately after his first La Liga match.
For now, though, with the squad largely settled and preparations nearing completion, attention is now turning fully towards Espanyol.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid superstar’s summer contract renewal saga compared to a romantic movie: ‘We know how the movie will end’
Vinicius Junior’s contract renewal with Real Madrid was one of the club’s biggest stories of the summer.
Months of uncertainty eventually ended in a long-term agreement that keeps the Brazilian at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2032.
At one point, it looked like the prospect of the Brazilian leaving the Santiago Bernabeu this summer was a realistic possibility.
However, as quoted by MARCA, Thiago Freitas, operations director at Roc Nation, has compared the entire saga to a romantic film with a happy ending.
Vinicius renewal was far from straightforward
Freitas explained that the negotiations were handled by Roc Nation executive Federico Pena and admitted that reaching the final agreement required patience from everyone involved.
“This operation between Vini and Real Madrid was like a trilogy of romance movies,” Freitas said.
“Throughout the movies there are conflicts, there are issues, there are some obstacles. But we all know how the movie will end: with a big kiss and everyone happy,” he added.
There was plenty of speculation around Vinicius while negotiations continued, particularly as the process stretched across the summer.
However, Freitas made it clear that the Brazilian’s preference was always to continue at Real Madrid rather than look for an exit.
“You only have to remember the history of all the players who have passed through Madrid in the last 20 or 30 years. None of them wanted to leave,” he said.
That is an important point for Madrid supporters. The difficulty appears to have been reaching an agreement that satisfied both sides, rather than convincing Vinicius that his future belonged at the club.
Jose Mourinho now has certainty
For Jose Mourinho, the first few weeks were spent in uncertainty over whether Vinicius would be part of his project at the club.
The Portuguese tactician has always been a vocal advocate of keeping the Brazilian and was said to have been a driving factor in the contract negotiations.
Ultimately, as Freitas put it, everything ended in a big hug and a kiss between Vinicius and Real Madrid. It meant that everyone, except Arsenal were happy.
It remains to be seen whether the 26-year-old can now repay the club and Mourinho’s faith in him, and return to his best level this season and beyond.
