Liverpool Champions League defeat forces Real Madrid to make huge decision

Real Madrid could play in the Champions League knockout phase playoff, adding two extra games to an already hectic fixture schedule.

Wanting something doesn’t always mean you can achieve it. For Real Madrid, the Champions League game against Liverpool at Anfield was the perfect example. The defeat wasn’t a heavy one, but it was a convincing one. Until Mbappé's missed penalty, Madrid still had hope, thanks to Courtois, their defensive sacrifices, European aura, and mystique. However, Kelleher’s save from Mbappé's spot-kick drained their energy.

In Liverpool, despite their efforts, Madrid couldn’t prevail. Ancelotti tried to stay positive: “I liked the team; we competed well against the toughest opponent on the continent.” But reality hit hard. His reality. A squad stretched thin (only 16 first-team players were available at Anfield) trying to compete at the highest level.

Champions League playoffs could add to Madrid’s grueling fixture schedule

And as a consequence, two more matches (in the Champions League knockout phase playoffs) look likely to be added to an already grueling schedule. No breaks. All this while Madrid, despite the circumstances, remains reluctant to engage in the winter transfer market.

Currently 24th in the Champions League with six points out of 15, aiming for the top eight to avoid the playoff round seems like a pipe dream. Therefore, if Los Blancos want to win the Septuple, they would have to play 72 matches. They’ve played 19, with 53 to go. The first is on Sunday against Getafe. The last, potentially, the final of the FIFA Club World Cup on July 13.

A game every 4.2 days. An “unfeasible” madness that becomes even more daunting if we set the goal for May 31, the Champions League final. Because between June 1 and 10, an extra transfer window will open for the Club World Cup.

Until that window opens, Madrid will have at least 46 games in 181 days. One every 3.9 days. Two per week continuously. Until Christmas, it’s even worse. Getafe, Athletic Club, Girona, Atalanta, Rayo Vallecano, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, and Sevilla. Seven games in 21 days. Playing every three nights.

After New Year, the same story. The Copa del Rey comes into play (starting January 5), as do the Spanish Super Cup (January 9 and the possible final on January 12) and the Champions League knockout phase playoffs (first leg, February 11-12; second leg, February 18-19).

In short, until the next FIFA international window, a maximum of 20 matches (or 21, as the postponed match against Valencia still needs a date and should fit in there) in 70 days. One every 3.5 (or 3.3) days before they get a breather. Or not, because under normal conditions, Ancelotti could lose about 13 or 14 players during an international break. A never-ending story.

Real Madrid’s January transfer window plans

Given the current situation, the question of whether to sign or not to sign new players is one that even Shakespeare might ponder. Ancelotti, while generally in agreement with the club, isn’t entirely dismissive of the idea. “We’ll start discussing it after our last game of the year, which is against Sevilla. That’s when we’ll decide what to do in the winter transfer market,” he explained before last weekend’s match against Leganés.

Sources have told AS that Real Madrid will only conside entering the January market if there was an urgent need, with the youth team, led by young defender Raúl Asencio, as a backup plan. However, they will face the second half of the season without Carvajal and Militão, with questions surrounding Alaba’s form and an overcrowded treatment room directly linked to the packed schedule. If that’s not an emergency, then it certainly looks like one.

Which players could Real Madrid sign in defence?

In the short term (with Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen already in the plans for summer), the needs are clear: a right-back and a center-back. For the former, the favorite is Alexander-Arnold, but convincing Liverpool to part with him mid-season is no small task. For the latter, there are attractive long-term options (RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba, Palmeiras youngster Vitor Reis, Yarek Gasiorowski of Valencia…), as well as more experienced and affordable players (Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah), but no decision or consensus has been reached yet, unlike with Leny Yoro, who was allowed to join Manchester United unchallenged.

Ancelotti’s message after Wednesday’s loss to a “crazy and sexy” Liverpool sounded more like resignation than hope. “Last year was similar, full of injuries. Some players go out, others come back. Today we lost Camavinga… and hopefully, Tchouaméni and Rodrygo can return for the next game. It’s a tough time, but we have to keep going. Last year, we turned injuries into opportunities.”

That’s how Asencio got his chance. But competing in a huge game like the one at Anfield without Militão, Carvajal, Rodrygo, Tchouaméni, Alaba and especially Vinicius is a heavy burden. Only 18 players on the squad have played over 300 minutes this season. Facing the packed schedule under normal conditions is challenging; doing it without reinforcements seems impossible.