In an article in AS, Roncero commented that Real Madrid's four away Champions League matches could almost be considered part of a tourist package. Two in London, one in Rome, and another in Athens.
At first glance, this is a favorable draw, or in old-school terms, quite friendly. Mourinho 2.0's Real Madrid will face a league phase where the main highlight will be seeing how the Portuguese manager confronts his two former clubs, with whom he has won European titles. In 2010, he led Inter Milan to victory over Guardiola's Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals. With ten men and Eto'o temporarily playing left-back, the team eliminated Messi and company. That victory also prevented Barcelona from potentially lifting the Champions League trophy in a final at the Bernabéu. Mourinho then defeated Bayern and joined Real Madrid. Years later, he managed Roma and earned the title "Emperor" after leading them to the Conference League trophy.
The third highlight will be another encounter with Mikel Arteta's Arsenal. We've been wanting to face them for a long time. However, I must admit, the most exciting and emotionally charged matchup for me is Real Madrid against PSV Eindhoven at the Bernabéu. That Dutch team from the Philips organization prevented my "Quinta del Buitre"—Hugo, Alexis, Buyo, and Gordillo—from winning the Champions League trophy they deserved.
Eindhoven was a conservative, hostile team that abandoned beautiful football, and they didn't win a single match in regular time from the quarterfinals onwards, yet they still won that title. I just hope that in our home atmosphere, Real Madrid will win overwhelmingly and ruthlessly against them.
It is worth noting that these four away games can almost be considered part of a tourist package. Two in London, one in Rome, and another in Athens. This will allow loyal Real Madrid fans to enjoy themselves thoroughly, as they haven't experienced such great joy for a long time since those two heroic 14th and 15th titles. And since we've already signed Diomandé, I'm not too worried about Leipzig either. As for AEK Athens? Friends, I don't know them...
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