Real Madrid players often say the Champions League is their favorite tournament, and it shows—no matter how rough things get in other competitions, they usually bounce back in Europe’s premier stage. But this season, their beloved competition has become a nightmare. Questions are already looming about whether they can even make it past the group stage. Federico Valverde, the Uruguayan midfielder, is struggling to accept Real’s struggles in the Champions League.
In the revamped Champions League format, the reigning champions and record title-holders have had a disastrous start. Out of five matches, they’ve lost three. With just six points from two wins, Real Madrid currently sits in 24th place in the 36-team tournament.
In this new format, the top eight teams in the points table advance directly to the Round of 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th compete in a two-legged playoff. Real Madrid’s chances of making it to the knockout stage are still alive, but they’re hanging by a thread.
On Tuesday, the La Liga champions face Atalanta, with the match set to kick off at 2 AM Bangladesh time. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Valverde shared his frustration over Real’s current position.
“Of course, it’s tough to see (Real struggling in Europe). We are not used to moments like this at this club. In this competition, we’re used to being near the top and in a much stronger position. But this is part of football, part of the process—we have to keep working hard.”
Much like last season, Real Madrid has been plagued by injuries, significantly impacting their performance. The team has struggled for consistency on the pitch.
Veteran defenders Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal have been sidelined for a long time, while star forward Vinícius Júnior recently returned from a muscle injury. However, in their most recent match, coach Carlo Ancelotti left out Brazilian forward Rodrygo from the squad.
For the upcoming match, Ancelotti has included both Vinícius and Rodrygo in the squad. Whether they’ll start or how much game time they’ll get remains unclear.
