Overview
- Real Madrid played Leganés at the Ciudad Real Madrid training complex behind closed doors on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, with live coverage limited to Real Madrid TV and the club’s official streaming platforms.
- Several senior Madrid players were unavailable for the fixture because of extended post‑World Cup rest or injury, with Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde rested and Éder Militão and Thibaut Courtois sidelined by injury.
- José Mourinho heavily rotated his squad and handed significant minutes to academy and young first‑team prospects such as Dean Huijsen, Arda Güler, Franco Mastantuono and Eduardo Camavinga to evaluate options for the new season.
- Leganés entered the friendly with greater match fitness after multiple pre‑season games and were missing only long‑term absentee Marcos Leiva, making them a sharper but still underdog opponent given Real Madrid’s strong head‑to‑head record.
- The game functions as an early tactical test for Mourinho in his second spell and could fast‑track youth promotions or influence selections for Real Madrid’s compact preseason program, which includes a confirmed trip to Budapest on August 8.