Al-Kuwait SC to face Real Sociedad tonight

Real Madrid will play their second match of the La Liga season this evening when they face Real Sociedad in a fixture postponed from the opening round. After a hard-fought away victory in the second round against Espanyol (2-1), Real Madrid will make their home debut against Real Sociedad in a match originally scheduled for the first round but delayed due to the late return of international players following their participation in the World Cup held in North America.

The Blancos have made extensive changes to their squad this summer, signing six players, including Ivory Coast’s Youssouf Fofana, Portugal’s Bernardo Silva, and Marc Cucurella. However, Real Madrid’s attempt to sign Rodri collapsed, meaning that, alongside former Manchester City playmaker Silva, they have not strengthened their midfield.

The Portuguese manager expressed satisfaction with his squad, which he considers complete, despite failing to sign midfielder Rodri, who moved to rivals Barcelona. Speaking to journalists, Mourinho said, “For me, the squad is complete, but the transfer window remains open. You never know if a player will come and say he has sat on the bench twice and wants to leave.” He added, “Theoretically, no more deals, but anything can always happen. In my mind, the squad is fully complete, and I have not asked for anyone to be signed. I am very happy with the players I have.”

With the departure of Croatian midfield maestro Luka Modrić in 2024 and German star Toni Kroos in 2025, Real Madrid has struggled to control matches. Mourinho confirmed that French midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni will take a break to ensure he can “return at 100%” after suffering a thigh injury during the 2026 World Cup. Tchouaméni missed team training sessions, as he had not physically recovered sufficiently to return to competition, according to the club’s new-old manager.

Mourinho explained, “This is not about a new setback to his injury, but he suffered greatly during the World Cup. He missed several matches, then returned in the semi-final against Spain, and took a risk doing so.” He continued, “He tried to return and wanted to, and could have continued, but you cannot start a season without having fully recovered from physical strain. We decided, together with him and the coaching staff, that it is better to be patient so he can return at 100% within a week or two.”