Real Madrid's pre-season week 3: players return, first friendly looms

Real Madrid is deep into its pre-season preparations under the guidance of returning manager Jose Mourinho, having just wrapped up its second week of training. The squad is still incomplete, with numerous international players yet to rejoin following their World Cup commitments. Despite the absences, the team has already engaged in a practice match, a 1-0 victory over Alcorcón, with a goal scored by academy player Yáñez from a penalty in the 81st minute.

Several players have been actively participating in the preseason since July 13th, including Arda Güler, who joined the group after Turkey's early World Cup exit. Others like Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Eduardo Camavinga, Álvaro Carreras, Andriy Lunin, Gonzalo García, Franco Mastantuono, and Raúl Asencio have been training consistently. Meanwhile, key players such as Eder Militao, Rodrygo Goes, and Ferland Mendy are continuing their rehabilitation from injuries.

As the week progresses, more players are expected to return based on their World Cup elimination timelines. German defender Antonio Rüdiger and Dutch player Denzel Dumfries, one of the confirmed signings, are slated to join this week. Brazilian talents Endrick and Vinicius Jr., Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva (another new acquisition), Moroccan player Brahim Díaz, and Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois are also anticipated. However, French defender Ibrahima Konaté and Spanish player Marc Cucurella, a World Cup champion, will receive additional vacation time. Rumors also persist about potential arrivals, including Ivorian forward Yan Diomande and Spanish midfielder Rodrigo Hernández.

Real Madrid has a series of friendly matches scheduled to fine-tune the team before the league opener on August 22nd against Espanyol. Their next practice match is against Leganés on July 28th, followed by a fixture against Fiorentina in Klagenfurt, Austria, on August 1st. Further friendlies include matches against Hungarian club Ferencvaros on August 8th and a clash for the Teresa Herrera trophy against Deportivo de La Coruña on August 12th.