Real Madrid traveled to Budapest to face Ferencváros on Saturday in a preseason friendly. The match marked another step in José Mourinho's preparations for his first full season in charge. The Ferencváros vs Real Madrid clash saw the club confirm a squad list that included the returns of Vinícius Jr and Bernardo Silva, according to Yahoo Sports.
The match was Real Madrid's fourth preseason fixture. It followed earlier friendlies against Alcorcón, Leganés and Fiorentina. Sports Illustrated noted the game represented a rare reunion between the two clubs. They last met more than three decades ago, during the 1995-96 Champions League group stage. In that historic tie, a hat trick from Raúl and a double from Iván Zamorano powered Real Madrid to a 6-1 win in the home leg. The Spanish giants were then held to a 1-1 draw when they visited Budapest.
Vinicius and Bernardo Return to the Fold
According to Yahoo Sports, Mourinho's squad announcement confirmed that Vinícius Jr had rejoined training during the week. He recently signed a new long-term contract with the club. Vinícius was included in the traveling party and could make his first appearance under the Portuguese manager. Fellow attacker Brahim Díaz also returned to preseason training that week and was likewise named in the squad. Sports Illustrated echoed this point, noting both players had missed the previous weekend's match against Fiorentina.
New arrival Bernardo Silva was also included after logging a few days of training with the squad, Yahoo Sports reported. Carlos Espi had been part of the squad for the Fiorentina game without playing. He made the trip to Hungary as well. Defenders Antonio Rüdiger and Dean Huijsen returned to the squad after sitting out the previous match in Austria. Raúl Asencio, though, remained unavailable.
No Debut Yet For Diomande
One notable absence from the matchday squad was Yan Diomandé, the club's reported 140 million euro new signing. Yahoo Sports reported that the teenager's arrival was only confirmed on the Thursday before the match. Because he had not trained with the squad, he was left out of the travel list. Yardbarker likewise confirmed that Diomandé had joined squad training. Still, he was not expected to feature in the Ferencváros fixture. Fans hoping to see the highly touted signing in action had to wait a little longer.
Mourinho also brought a contingent of academy players to Budapest, according to Yahoo Sports. That group included Sergio Mestre, Javi Navarro, Lamine Fati, Joan Martínez, Mario Rivas, Jorge Cestero, Lacosta, Alexis Ciria and Dani Yáñez. Brazilian forward Endrick, who has been linked with a possible loan move away from the club, also traveled with the squad. He was expected to see playing time in the contest.
Key Absences And Expected Lineups
Mourinho was again missing several established first-team players for the match. Yardbarker reported that Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, Marc Cucurella and Aurélien Tchouaméni were all unavailable. Their absences stemmed from involvement in the World Cup. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois remained sidelined as well, as he continues recovering from a thigh injury. That opened the way for Andriy Lunin to start between the posts. Éder Militão and Raúl Asencio were also still out. Mario Rivas and Joan Martínez were tipped to feature at center back in their place.
According to the expected Real Madrid lineup reported by Yardbarker, Mourinho was set to deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation. Lunin would start in goal behind a back four of Carreras, Rivas, Martínez and Denzel Dumfries. Federico Valverde and Lacosta were expected to operate in central midfield. Yáñez, Arda Güler and Endrick were projected to play behind lone striker Carlos Espi. Bernardo Silva, Brahim Díaz, Espi and Dumfries were all expected to see minutes in the contest.
On the Ferencváros side, the Hungarian club finished as runners-up in their domestic league last season. They were without midfielder Naby Keïta after he suffered an injury in July, per Yardbarker. Ferencváros were expected to line up in a 4-3-3 shape. Dénes Dibusz would start in goal behind a back four of Cadu, Stefan Gartenmann, Mats Knoester and Osváth. A midfield trio of Corbu, Kanichowsky and Levi was set to anchor the middle of the park. An attacking line of Bamidele, Joseph and Zachariassen would lead the line up top.
How Fans Could Watch
The friendly kicked off at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 8. Sports Illustrated identified the venue as the Ferencváros Stadion in Budapest. American audiences were able to stream the match on CBS and fuboTV. Viewers in Mexico had access via Disney+. Fans in Spain were able to watch coverage on the club's own channel, Real Madrid TV, according to Sports Illustrated.
What Comes Next For Real Madrid
The Ferencváros friendly was not the final stop on Real Madrid's preseason itinerary. Sports Illustrated reported that the club will return home to face newly promoted RC Deportivo on Wednesday, August 12. That match will be followed by a final preseason tune-up against German side Schalke 04 on August 16 in Gelsenkirchen. From there, Mourinho's side shifts into competitive action. The 2026-27 La Liga campaign opens against Espanyol on August 22.
For now, the Ferencváros vs Real Madrid clash offered Mourinho another opportunity to assess his squad depth. It let him gauge the readiness of returning stars like Vinícius Jr. It also gave fringe and academy players valuable minutes before the stakes rise. With new signings such as Bernardo Silva already integrated, and Diomandé's debut still pending, Real Madrid's preseason program remains a proving ground. It is as much a test of squad depth as it is a physical tune-up. That balance will matter greatly ahead of a closely watched campaign under Mourinho's stewardship.
