The 2026/27 season is beginning to take shape as Real Madrid and Barcelona welcome back some of their biggest stars following Spain’s World Cup triumph, but their returns also create a new preseason problem: how quickly can these players go from celebration mode to title-race mode?
At Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham has returned to preseason training after spending additional time in London for personal and commercial commitments. His arrival completes another important piece of José Mourinho’s squad as Madrid continue preparing for the new campaign.
But Madrid fans should probably resist the temptation to read too much into his return just yet. Bellingham is back, but he has not immediately been thrown into the squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Deportivo. That suggests the priority is getting him physically ready rather than rushing him into competitive action.
That could actually be important for Madrid. The club are dealing with a preseason in which several players are returning at different times. Bellingham’s midfield position is also one of the areas where Madrid have plenty of competition, particularly with Arda Güler impressing during preseason. Bellingham’s return could change the entire balance of the midfield and force Mourinho to decide who gets to occupy the most influential positions.
Barcelona face a similar situation, with Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Pedri and Pau Cubarsí reporting back for training after their World Cup commitments. The club had already scheduled the Spanish internationals to return on Wednesday.
For Hansi Flick, however, their return could be even more significant. Yamal, Pedri and Olmo are central to Barcelona’s attacking creativity, while Cubarsí provides another important option in defense. Their arrival gives Flick a much clearer idea of what his strongest squad could look like, but also leaves him with the challenge of managing players who have had very little recovery time after a major tournament.
And that may be the biggest story of the preseason. Neither Madrid nor Barcelona simply needs its stars back. They need them back healthy.With the new season approaching, the club that manages the post-World Cup transition better could gain an advantage before the first Clásico is even played.
