Real Madrid's road to the 2025 Champions League final is anything but easy for the defending European champions.
Real Madrid got their Champions League title defense off to a shaky start. Carlo Ancelotti's men only finished 11th in the league phase and had to play Manchester City in the knockout phase playoffs. Los Blancos rose to the occasion, though, and eliminated City 6–3 on aggregate to punch their tickets to the round of 16.
The Champions League round of 16 draw then revealed Real Madrid's next opponents in the competition, as well as the full bracket moving forward. The 15-time Champions League winners are due to face some of the toughest teams left in the competition on the way to the final.
JOIN SI SOCCER'S REAL MADRID WHATSAPP COMMUNITY - GET ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND ANALYSIS STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE
Real Madrid's Road to the 2025 Champions League Final
Real Madrid's road to the 2025 Champions League final in Munich is as follows:
- Round of 16: Atlético Madrid
- Quarterfinals: Arsenal or PSV
- Semifinals: Liverpool, PSG, Club Brugge or Aston Villa
The first step for Los Blancos on their way to Munich is another Madrid derby. Real Madrid defeated their La Liga rivals in the 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals, but they have struggled against Diego Simeone's men as of late. Last year, Atlético Madrid were the only team to beat Real Madrid across all competitions, and this year, they held Ancelotti's squad to two draws.
If Real Madrid get past Atlético Madrid, they will likely have to face Arsenal. Although the Premier League side is riddled with injuries up top, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are expected to be back for the quarterfinals.
Real Madrid's semifinals opponent will likely be either Liverpool or PSG. The Reds defeated Real Madrid in the league phase, but Ancelotti was missing half of his strongest XI to injuries. The storyline for a match against PSG, meanwhile, would have Kylian Mbappé front and center. The Frenchman could be facing his former club with a trip to the Allianz Arena on the line.
Check out the full bracket below.
The road to Munich is set.#UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/M2ChMOgR8u
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 21, 2025
Who Could Real Madrid Face in the 2025 Champions League Final?
Real Madrid could face one of the following eight opponents in the 2025 Champions League final:
- Benfica
- Barcelona
- Borussia Dortmund
- Lille
- Bayern Munich
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Feyenoord
- Inter Milan
On paper, the likeliest opponent for Real Madrid to meet in the final would be Barcelona. If the stars align, the 2025 Champions League final could be a Clásico for the first time in history.
READ THE LATEST UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NEWS, PREVIEWS, PREDICTIONS AND MORE
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Real Madrid's Road to the 2025 Champions League Final.
