Real Madrid Learns Champions League Opponents

Real Madrid learned who its initial Champions League opponents will be as UEFA completed the 2024/2025 league phase draw in Monaco on Thursday night.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men will play Borussia Dortmund at home, Liverpool away, AC Milan at home, Atalanta away, Salzburg at home, Lille away, Stuttgart at home and Brest away.

Los Blancos are of course the defending champions in the UCL after going all the way at Wembley for a record-extending 15th time at the start of June.

Guided by Ancelotti, who is the competition’s most successful coach on five titles, Madrid completed a 2023/2024 treble complimented by La Liga and Spanish Super Cup triumphs through beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the English capital to more than double AC Milan’s tally.

Though the order of matches will not be determined until Saturday, Madrid will meet the Germans again at the Bernabeu as well as the outfit it topped in the UCL finals in 2018 and 2022, which is Premier League giant Liverpool.

A home encounter with Ancelotti’s former club Milan will also be special for the Italian, who has had much to do with each club’s success on the continent after overseeing two of the Rossoneri’s UCL triumphs in 2003 and 2007 plus three of Madrid’s in 2014, 2022 and 2024.

The league phase draw has also pitted Madrid against another opponent from Ancelotti’s homeland which it has met recently.

Europa League winners Atlanta were arguably the best team in the scoreless first half of the UEFA Super Cup final in Warsaw earlier this month, yet second half goals from Fede Valverde and Kylian Mbappe secured a 2-0 win in the Polish capital.

A Galactico summer signing from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, Mbappe hasn’t netted since for his new employers but will hope that he can finally get his hands on the iconic big-eared trophy in the Spanish capital, which could also prove key to him being awarded the Ballon d’Or.

With Madrid contesting seven competitions this term and capable of playing more than 70 games, Ancelotti has already confirmed that there will be rotations in his first XI as soon as the Champions League commences between September 17 and 19.