Yan Diomande receives first Real Madrid call-up for Schalke friendly

Yan Diomande has received his first Real Madrid call-up as José Mourinho prepares his squad for the final pre-season friendly against Schalke 04.

The summer signing has been included in the travelling group for Sunday’s match in Germany, giving him his first opportunity to feature for Madrid before the start of the new La Liga campaign.

Diomande’s inclusion comes at an important stage of pre-season. With competitive football approaching, the Schalke fixture represents Mourinho’s final major opportunity to assess combinations, fitness levels and the integration of several new players.

The match could also provide an early indication of how Diomande fits into Madrid’s attacking structure.

His pace, direct running and ability to attack defenders from wide positions give Mourinho another profile in the final third. Diomande can stretch the pitch, carry possession into advanced areas and offer a more vertical option when Madrid look to transition quickly from midfield into attack.

The presence of Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham in the squad should also allow Mourinho to test Diomande alongside more established members of the first team if he decides to give the winger minutes in Gelsenkirchen.

A place in the squad does not guarantee a debut, but the call-up represents the next stage of Diomande’s integration following his summer move to Madrid.

AS reports that Aurélien Tchouaméni will miss the game because of muscular overload, while Éder Militão, Rodrygo, Ferland Mendy and Raúl Asencio remain unavailable. Endrick has also stayed in Madrid as part of an individual preparation programme.

Those absences give Mourinho fewer options in some areas of the squad, but the return and inclusion of several other senior players means the Schalke match should provide a stronger indication of the team he intends to take into the opening weeks of the season.

For Diomande, the immediate challenge is simpler.

He must use any minutes he receives to begin building an understanding with his new teammates and show that he can compete for a meaningful role from the start of the campaign.

Madrid’s final friendly will not determine his position in the squad, but it offers the first chance to see how quickly one of the club’s major summer additions can adapt to Mourinho’s plans.