Real Madrid's July and August plans: pre-season, LaLiga, ICC...

Real Madrid's pre-season activity is now underway as first team coach Zinedine Zidane travelled with the first team squad to Montreal (Canada) which serves as the first chapter in 2019-20 pre-season planning, culminating with the first competitive game of the season with a visit to face Celta Vigo over the weekend of August 17/18. Here are the key dates for the next six weeks as Madrid get into shape for the new season.

July 9-July 18: Base camp at Centre Nutrilait (Montreal). Zidane's men will spend over a week at the Montreal Impact training centre, the lavish installations of the MLS side that cost over 16 million dollars and boast two natural grass pitches and one AstroTurf surface.  

July 21 vs. Bayern Munich (ICC): The first of Madrid's three International Champions Cup 2019 games in the USA takes place in Houston (Texas) with German champions FC Bayern Munich as opponents. 

July 24 vs. Arsenal (ICC): The North London outfit are next up for Zidane's side with the ICC game being staged at the FedEx Field in Maryland.

July 27 vs. Atletico Madrid  ICC: A Madrid derby in New Jersey is the final encounter for "Los Blancos" stateside at the MetLife stadium (home to NFL football sides NY Jets and Giants) which brings the curtain down on the US tour.

July 30/31 vs Tottenham: Audi Cup. Champions League finalists Spurs will be Madrid's opponents in the four team 2019 Audi Cup with a final or 3rd/4th place game the following day against either Bayern or Fenerbahce.

August 5/11: Zidane's side will play two pre-season games this week outside Spain with opponents yet to be confirmed. 

August 17/18: vs Celta Vigo: (LaLiga): A trip to Galicia is the starting point for Real Madrid's LaLiga campaign with a visit to the always complicated Balaidos.  

August 24/25: vs Real Valladolid (LaLiga).

August 29: Champions League 2019-20: Group stage draw.