Schalke 04 - Real Madrid
On Sunday, August 16, my first match of the 2026/27 season was on the schedule: Schalke 04 – Real Madrid. In just under two hours, I arrive at a car park close to the stadium. I have to admit, it’s quite convenient for a change not to have to take the plane. After a 20-minute walk, I arrive at the stadium. It’s now 2:30 PM, two and a half hours before kick-off. I always try to arrive early so I can get the most out of the matchday experience.
Even though I’m very early, it’s certainly not quiet. In fact, it’s already pretty busy. It’s around 26°C, and with the weather expected to get worse over the next few weeks, the Germans are probably, just like me, trying to enjoy the last rays of sunshine. Since I’m afraid I’ll starve before the match, which kicks off at 5:00 PM, I first go looking for something to eat and drink. There are several food stands offering, among other things, fresh fries and döner. I go for the classic German bratwurst in a bun. It costs €4. To wash it down, I get a half-liter of Veltins beer for €5.50. For just under €10, I’m sorted for a while.
Two hours before the match, the gates open. Besides scanning the QR code on your ticket, you can also enter using NFC with your digital ticket. Pretty cool — I hadn’t seen that before. I decide to head inside as well, so I can watch the stadium gradually fill up. I’m sitting in block 79, up in the corner near the corner flag. Certainly not the best seats, but since I managed to get a ticket through a German groundhopper, I’m more than happy to be here. There is no away section for this match, so I’m simply sitting among the Schalke fans. The ticket cost me €31.
At 5:00 PM, we kick off in a packed stadium with just over 60,000 fans. Schalke start brightly, but after they go 0-1 down following a misplaced back pass in defence, which Mbappé punishes, it’s pretty much game over. The difference in quality is huge. Real produce some impressive vertical attacks with quick one-touch football. Defensively, the team also looks solid. We go into half-time with a 0-2 lead, with Huijsen, who has been one of the standout players during pre-season, scoring from a corner.
There are several changes in the second half. Among others, we get to see the debuts of Diomande and Cucurella. Espi, who once again makes a good impression, adds a third goal to make it 0-3. Right at the end, we are also denied a penalty following a foul on Vinícius. It felt like the referee had decided from the very beginning that he was going to try to keep the mighty Madrid in check, and this incident fit that narrative perfectly — much to the frustration of all the Madridistas in the stadium and on the bench.
With this victory, we finish pre-season unbeaten. In a week and a half, La Liga starts again, with an away match against Espanyol. After that, two home games follow against Real Sociedad and Málaga, and I’ll be there in the stands at the Bernabéu.
