A lone Brahim Diaz goal helped Real Madrid to a narrow 1-0 win over Deportivo de A Coruña earlier this week, and the club now stare at their final pre-season clash ahead of the new campaign.
The game will be played against Schalke tomorrow evening, and it will be a critical game for Jose Mourinho and Co. as it will mark the return of several recently returned international stars and even new signings.
With the manager planning several tactical tweaks, especially in midfield, it will be a great opportunity for Mourinho to test out various combinations.
Bellingham’s return to training is massive on that front, but the player’s participation tomorrow was said to be in doubt.
Bellingham could start
Now, as reported by COPE, Bellingham has arrived in very good physical condition, and there is not much he is lacking in terms of match fitness.
Bellingham could start tomorrow. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
If he completes the training session today normally, there is even a possibility that the World Cup semi-finalist starts against Schalke tomorrow.
Also expected to start on the night are the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Yan Diomande and Thibaut Courtois, and the upcoming game may be the closest Real Madrid XI to the one that will start on match day 1.
A midfield puzzle to solve
With Diomande’s arrival, it is clear that Mourinho will count on a 4-3-3 setup for the upcoming season, and there is no question of compromising the attack to add an extra body in midfield.
The middle of the park, however, was exactly where Real Madrid struggled last season, both to create chances and to control the game, and Mourinho has a big puzzle to solve on that front.
Mourinho has big decisions to take in midfield. (Photo courtesy: Real Madrid official website)
Word has it that the manager sees Bernardo Silva as a non-negotiable starter, likely in deep midfield alongside Aurelien Tchouameni.
Jude Bellingham, as matters stand, is the overwhelming favourite to start in the attacking midfield.
Such a setup, however, leaves no place for Federico Valverde or Arda Guler, who are critical to add physicality and creativity, respectively. Moreover, there is also a report that the manager sees Trent Alexander-Arnold as an option for the midfield.
There is not much time left for the manager to put his ideas into practice, and tomorrow’s game will be critical on that front.