Mourinho Returns to Scene of Past Glory as Real Madrid Face Bundesliga Newcomers

Pulse Sports Team 10:49 - 29 July 2026

Spanish football giants Real Madrid will play a pre-season friendly against German side Schalke in August. This marks a return for newly appointed "Los Blancos" coach Jose Mourinho to the stadium where he triumphed in the prestigious Champions League final 22 years ago.

In what was then the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Mourinho's Porto defeated AS Monaco 3-0. Six years later, the Portuguese manager secured his second Champions League trophy with Inter Milan.

Schalke announced the friendly match to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their stadium, with club board member Frank Baumann promising a "true festival of football."

The clash is scheduled for Sunday, August 16th, and is set to be the final pre-season fixture for both clubs. Real Madrid will kick off their 2026/2027 league campaign with an away match against Espanyol Barcelona on Saturday, August 22nd.

Schalke, who have returned to Germany's top flight after three years, will face fourth-tier Hallescher FC in the German Cup on Monday, August 24th. The information was reported by the DPA news agency.