Real Madrid is preparing to begin a new UEFA Champions League campaign, where in this renewed edition of the tournament it will seek to repeat the crown. After the three-time champions obtained by the Merengues in 2016, 2017 and 2018, no one has been able to repeat the title of European champion in consecutive years, and who better than the whites to break that streak again.
After a very successful 2023/2024, where they comfortably won La Liga, won the Spanish Super Cup and lifted the “Orejona” for the 15th time, Real Madrid got off to a good start in a new season that brings other challenges, a new “galactico” to their squad and the dream of being able to extend their impressive list of achievements.
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The new squad
The White House left nothing to chance this season and secured important reinforcements to retain their title as the lord and master of European football. Of course, the spotlight is on the arrival of Kylian Mbappé, who, although he is still adapting to his new club and Spanish football, is expected to be able to show everything he has been able to do before at Monaco, PSG and, above all, with the French National Team. But we must not overlook the young Endrick. The 18-year-old Brazilian pearl arrived for a large fee, but with more than enough credentials to leave his mark on the white team.
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It is true that Real Madrid also lost some important names: Toni Kroos retired, Nacho Fernández went to play in Saudi Arabia, and utility player Joselu opted for Qatar as his destination. Three key players left, either due to age or their career at the club, and two names arrived who were eager to devour the football world wearing the Merengue shirt.
It goes without saying that the squad that Italian Carlo Ancelotti will be in charge of is more than capable of fighting for the Champions League title again, and that it will surely be the team to beat for all candidates. The core of the team remains, with Thibaut Courtois in goal; a defensive line with Dani Carvajal, Toni Rüdiger, Éder Militao and Ferland Mendy; Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouaméni as fixed pieces in the centre; Jude Bellingham as a link; Rodrygo and Vinícius Jr. on the wings, while Mbappé leads the attack from now on. In addition, Ancelotti has an interesting rotation in various positions such as Fran García and Lucas Vázquez on the sides, Dani Ceballos and the endless Luka Modric in the centre, or Brahim Díaz, Arda Güler and Endrick himself in the attack. The serious injuries suffered by David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga limit their options, but they cannot be an excuse for not achieving the season’s objectives.
How to bring together so many great players?
It is true that this Real Madrid has not been close to showing its best version yet. The necessary ensemble for Mbappé, Vinicius, Rodrygo and Bellingham to shine has not yet been found, and it seems that the team’s game is too reliant on the left wing, where both the Frenchman and “Vini” feel more comfortable. The challenge for Ancelotti will be to find a way for everyone to have their space, for the team to be able to expand its game and also be a threat on the right, and for Fede Valverde to become an enabler similar to what Kroos was. If the Merengues manage to optimize their collective performance to give shine to their spectacular offensive individualities, their rivals will have a very hard time when they have to face them.
It is also possible that some of the attacking players will have to sacrifice their role, or even leave their place in the team in certain games, seeking the common good. The problem with this is what it can cause to have cracks sitting on the bench, and it seems almost impossible that this will fall on Mbappé, the new star of the Real Madrid firmament.
For a new white double
In the league phase of the new Champions League, Real Madrid will face strong opponents such as Liverpool, Dortmund or Milan, and others that could easily cause them headaches such as Atalanta, Stuttgart, Lille, Salzburg and Brest. In any case, the Whites should be able to qualify for the round of 16, either directly or through the first playoff series.
The possibility for Real Madrid to retain the title is latent, and this is something that no one has achieved since 2018, the last year of the three consecutive “Orejonas” that the white team lifted. Repeating the title in the maximum trophy of European club football is not easy, and it has happened much less than it would seem. Before the aforementioned occasion where the Merengue achieved it, we must go back to Arrigo Sacchi’s Milan who were able to do it in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons.
The most curious period was the 1970s, when Ajax, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest won titles consecutively. And before that, it happened again in the 1960s with Inter Milan, Benfica and the historic Real Madrid of Alfredo Di Stéfano. Whether the current Merengue squad manages to string together European triumphs and make a new mark in a competition of which it is the ultimate symbol, only time will tell.
