European football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 180 minutes and in the end, Real Madrid – somehow – always wins. Or as the Madridistas say: “90 minuti en el Bernabéu son molto longo” – 90 minutes at the Bernabeu is very long…
Ironically, it is an Italian phrase coined by Real Madrid striker Juanito in the 1980s. After a 2-0 defeat to Inter in the first leg of the 1984-85 UEFA Cup at the San Siro, Juanito famously warned the Serie A side that “90 minutes at the Bernabeu is a very long time”. Juanito was right, as Real Madrid quickly won the second leg 3-0 before lifting the trophy in the final that followed.
Although that particular example is from the UEFA Cup, it reflects the aura and confidence that surrounds Real Madrid in European cup competitions. It’s almost as if they are destined to win. They have their name on the continent’s trophies. And nowhere is that more true than in the Champions League.
Los Blancos have won the prestigious tournament 14 times. That’s double the number of runners-up Milan (7), and more than Liverpool, Barcelona and Manchester United combined.
When you look at how Real Madrid won those 14 trophies, it’s remarkable how condensed they were. Real won their first five European Cups between 1955 and 1960. They then won just one in the next 38 years (in 1965). Then came three in five seasons between 1997 and 2002, followed by 12 years of agony as they waited for “La Décima”.
The number 10 trophy finally arrived in 2014. Since then, Real Madrid have won five of the last 10 Champions Leagues. They are above every other team in history. No other side has won more than one in that time. It has been a remarkable decade of dominance and between them, Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane have presided over a true Champions League dynasty.
Curiously, however, Real Madrid have arguably not been the best club in Europe during that period. They are not even the most successful club in Spain, with three La Liga titles since 2013-14, behind Barcelona’s five – although they will add a fourth this year. And even in the Champions Leagues they have won, they have often not been the best team in the competition.
So people remember the phrase “90 minutes in the Bernabéu, molto longo”, or as some people interpret: Real carries the DNA of C1/Champions League.
When it comes to European knockout football, especially at the Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid never die. They have a unique ability – forged in the fires of their history – to find a way to come back to life even when they look dead and buried by their opponents.
The quarter-final against Manchester City is just the latest example.
Sometimes the numbers, however logical, get lost when looking at Real Madrid’s history in the competition. Since Opta has had data on expected goals (xG) in the Champions League since 2010-11, Los Blancos have ‘lost’ 25 different knockout matches. But the end result: They’ve actually lost just nine of those, winning 10 and drawing six.
In other words, Real Madrid have historically been more likely to win a game they “should” lose. Ancelotti’s side excel at absorbing the blows from opponents, just barely holding on, and then relying on their superstars to produce moments of magic. Their last five Champions League titles have all featured moments where one or more individuals have decided the outcome.
In 2013/14, they needed a stoppage-time equaliser from Sergio Ramos to force the final into extra-time against Atletico Madrid. Gareth Bale then produced a brilliant performance in extra time to help Madrid win. In 2016, they beat A. Madrid again, this time on penalties. Ramos was the hero again, although his goal looked slightly offside.
The 4-2 second leg win over Bayern Munich in 2017 was another example, with three goals in seven minutes of crazy extra time, including a hat-trick from Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2018, Ronaldo’s controversial 98th-minute penalty won the quarter-final against Juventus. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was so angry about the penalty that he was sent off.
The most exciting was perhaps the 2021-22 season, with moments of magic occurring in three successive quarter-finals. Defeated at home to Chelsea in the second leg of the quarter-final and seemingly on the ropes, Luka Modric provided a classic assist for Rodrygo to score with 10 minutes left. That sent the game into extra time, where Karim Benzema headed home the winner. Against Manchester City in the semi-final, Pep Guardiola’s side were in complete control and ahead. But two goals in two frantic minutes from Rodryo sent the game into extra time. Benzema again salvaged a draw, this time from the penalty spot. And then in the final, Thibaut Courtois produced a goalkeeping masterclass. The Belgian made nine saves – the most in a Champions League final.
Real Madrid have a remarkable ability to turn things around on the pitch. They can endure difficult moments in games, waiting for their big moments. It’s not just a matter of mentality. Their superior defensive ability is something Real Madrid do better than anyone else. No team in Champions League history has had a better defensive record in more games than Real Madrid in the knockout stages. In 38 different knockout matches, Madrid have conceded fewer goals than any other team.
Perhaps that’s all it takes. Real Madrid have never been short of attacking talent. In Zidane and Ancelotti, they have coaches who are renowned for letting their players improvise in the final third. They focus more on the individual than the system as a whole. Doing so gives world-class players a platform to thrive; the chance to single-handedly decide a game in a moment of brilliance.
