Madrid Daily: Mbappé’s Ballon d’Or case, Pitarch’s return and Espí’s Madrid education

Real Madrid entered the international break with fifteen players departing for national-team duty while others stayed at Valdebebas for fitness and recovery. Manager José Mourinho has reportedly approved a plan for midfielder Thiago Pitarch to regain match fitness with Castilla during the break, starting with Wednesday's rescheduled match against Sant Andreu, following a summer knee injury.

Meanwhile, forward Kylian Mbappé discussed his Ballon d'Or prospects, emphasizing that individual performance should be the decisive factor for the award. Mbappé noted his strong individual season as the top scorer across key competitions, while young player Carlos Espí also spoke about his development under Mourinho.