Real Madrid wrapped up their pre-season campaign with a 3-0 win over FC Schalke at the iconic Veltins Arena. It was the final friendly for Jose Mourinho’s men, which gave the Real Madrid coach the opportunity to try out some of his newer signings.
This included Marc Cucurella, who made his unofficial debut for the club after joining from Chelsea in a big-money deal earlier in the summer.
Speaking to RMTV after the match, Cucurella was delighted with his debut and spoke fondly about his new teammates.
Cucurella reacts after Schalke win
It was a dominant performance from Real Madrid. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)
The Spaniard was thrilled to finally pull on the Real Madrid shirt, admitting the build-up to his first appearance had felt like a lengthy one.
“Very happy. It was a great game from everyone. Great result. I’m really looking forward to it. The wait felt long,” he said (h/t Diario AS).
He also revealed how comfortable he felt on the pitch, crediting the quality of those around him. “I felt very good. Easy with these teammates,” he added.
Cucurella went on to reflect on a summer of hard work, insisting the effort had all been worthwhile now that he is finally a Real Madrid player.
“Very happy. There’s a lot of hard work behind all this. Every effort has been worth it. Keep it up,” he said.
The full-back was equally glowing about how welcoming the squad had been, describing a tight-knit group that made his transition seamless.
“The colleagues are very nice people. They make the arrival easy for everyone. A close-knit group,” Cucurella added.
Focused on silverware
Cucurella is determined to win titles at Real Madrid. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images)
Finally, Cucurella thanked the supporters for their backing and made clear his ambitions, stressing that winning trophies is his ultimate priority.
“I’ve received many messages. I’ll give my all. The most important thing is to win titles,” he concluded.
It was a promising afternoon all round for Mourinho’s side, who eased to victory through goals from Kylian Mbappe, Dean Huijsen and Carlos Espi.
With the pre-season now complete, attention turns to the LaLiga opener against Espanyol on August 22, as Real Madrid look to hit the ground running in their bid to reclaim domestic supremacy.