Real Madrid have learned their eight opponents for the 2026/27 Champions League "League Phase", as the Merengues must be ready to battle Serie A champions Inter Milan, Dutch giants PSV, German side RB Leipzig, LASK, Premier League champions Arsenal, Ukraine' Shakhtar Donetsk, Greek side AEK Athens, and one more former Jose Mourinho club in Italy in Roma.
Here are seven players familair to Real Madrid - either former players, opponents, or transfer targets - they will have to get ready to battle this season in the UCL.
RB Leipzig CB Castello Lukeba
Real Madrid are no longer interested in signing Castello Lukeba, who is actually starting to get Barcelona links, but he was one of their top center back targets for a couple of years and is one of the most highly touted young central defenders in European football.
Arsenal AM Martin Odegaard
There are a lot of Arsenal players with Real Madrid ties, but the most closely linked is captain Martin Odegaard. The Norwegian playmaker was hailed as the next big thing at Real Madrid and was actually a La Liga Player of the Season candidate for underdogs Real Sociedad in the 2019/20 season. He made his way to the first team for Real Madrid in 2020/21 and even started on Matchday 1 against his former employers, but he disappointed and hit rock bottom in the Champions League, with Zinedine Zidane thoroughly unimpressed with his work rate. He wanted a loan to Arsenal, and the rest is history. Odegaard has not won as much as Real Madrid have, but with a Premier League title under his belt and a lot of love in North London, he is not mad with his decision at all.
Arsenal GK Kepa Arrizabalaga
Kepa Arrizabalaga was a record signing from La Liga for Chelsea, and he eventually made his way back to Spain as a key backup for Real Madrid. He started the 2023/24 season the No. 1 with Thibaut Courtois injured but quickly lost the job to Andriy Lunin.
Arsenal DM Martin Zubimendi
Martin Zubimendi was high on Xabi Alonso's list, but Florentino Perez and the Real Madrid brass did not want the Real Sociead star, who was also badly wanted by Hansi Flick and Barcelona. Zubi got burned out last season and is no longer even a starter for Arsenal after the Bruno Guimaraes signing this summer, but he's still a top player who can burn Real Madrid this year.
Arsenal CF Kai Havertz
Zinedine Zidane wanted Kai Havertz back in 2020 from Bayer Leverkusen for Real Madrid, but they could not sign him due to COVID restrictions. And the German international would then go on to win the Champions League in 202 with Chelsea, knocking out Madrid in the semifinals. Havertz is a mercurial player, but Arsenal fans have grown to love him and his all around skill set.
Roma CM Manu Kone
Real Madrid have French national team standout Manu Kone on their transfer radar this summer as a potential replacement for Eduardo Camavinga if Manchester United - or somebody else - were to submit a convincing enough transfer offer. He is one of Roma's stars and a top progressive No. 8.
AEK Athens CM Lovro Majer
Hailed as the next Luka Modric while at Rennes, Lovro Majer was being watched by Real Madrid as a possible transfer a few years ago. He never quite panned out, but that will make him want to shine even more against the Royal Whites in the Champions League this year for lowly Athens.
AEK Athens ST Luka Jovic
But Majer isn't even the most intriguing player with a Real Madrid link to watch on Athens. Luka Jovic is one of the biggest transfer busts in the history of the club, overshadowed by the fact that Eden Hazard joined in the same 2019 window. Jovic never had the effort or football IQ of a Madrid player, and he isn't even a decent footballer for Athens.
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