An Early Look At Real Madrid’s Training Sessions In Chicago

As Real Madrid continues their pre-season tour, all eyes are on Chicago, where the team is settling in for a series of training sessions. Monday was already a busy day, as Real Madrid trained in the morning and Managing Madrid held a podcast for fans in Chicago in the evening. Today, the busy schedule continues, with lots on the calendar.

Today’s Press Conference and Training Session

This evening, Real Madrid will hold their first press conference of the tour at 4:15 pm local time. Carlo Ancelotti will address the media. Following the press conference, the team will take to the pitch at Soldier Field for a training session at 5 pm. While the session will be open to the media, fans will not have access.

A Mix of Venues and Fan Engagement

Yesterday, the team trained at the University of Illinois, providing fans a unique opportunity to witness their favorite stars in action. The session was particularly engaging, as several players took the time to sign autographs and interact with the supporters.

The contrast in training environments has been notable. Monday’s sessions were held earlier in the morning on a pitch that had been overly watered, resulting in a slippery surface. Despite the challenging conditions, the team made the most of the situation, and there were some interesting takeaways.

Spotlight on Youth and New Partnerships

Among the standout moments from Monday’s session was the budding partnership between young talents Arda Güler and Endrick. The duo, playing on the same team during a scrimmage, showcased a promising connection, combining for several impressive offensive sequences and goals. With Kylian Mbappe not yet with the team, and the Brazilian trio of Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo Goes, and Eder Militao not joining the squad until August 1st, Güler and Endrick are the two young stars that fans are most eager to see.

Endrick also received a ‘welcome to Real Madrid’ challenge by Antonio Rüdiger:

Ancelotti also took the opportunity to experiment with different defensive setups. A notable pairing was that of Antonio Rüdiger and Joan Martínez, a highly promising 16-year-old defender. While it may be too early to predict meaningful minutes for Martinez next season, this pre-season tour offers a valuable platform for him to gain experience and showcase his potential.

However, not all news was positive. Jesus Vallejo had to leave the scrimmage early due to an overload in his right leg. The extent of the injury is not yet clear, but it’s a situation the club’s medical team will closely monitor.

Managing Madrid will continue to be on the ground to cover Real Madrid’s pre-season tour. Keep it locked on this website!