Real Madrid News
UEFA rule guarantees Real Madrid will avoid another Champions League trip to Anfield in the League Phase
Real Madrid will not be travelling to Anfield to face Liverpool during the league phase of the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League.
The draw for the Champions League may not have happened yet, but it is already certain that after two successive Anfield trips in the league phase, Madrid will not have to make the trip this time.
Liverpool’s official website explains that UEFA regulations mean the Merseyside club cannot be drawn at home against Los Blancos for a third consecutive Champions League league phase.
No third successive trip to Anfield
Real Madrid have been handed the same difficult assignment in each of the previous two seasons since the Champions League adopted its new league-phase format.
Los Blancos travelled to Anfield during the 2024-25 campaign, losing 2-0 after goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo.
UEFA rules are set to prevent Liverpool from being drawn at home to Real Madrid in this season's Champions League league phase ⤵️
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 26, 2026
The draw then sent Madrid back to Merseyside in 2025-26, where Liverpool again emerged victorious, this time through a Mac Allister header in the second half.
UEFA had already included a provision in its regulations covering precisely this possibility for the 2026-27 campaign.
Liverpool can still come to the Bernabeu
Importantly, the regulation does not prevent the two European giants from facing one another altogether.
Real Madrid can still be drawn against Liverpool, but this time the fixture would have to take place at the Santiago Bernabeu.
That would certainly represent a welcome change for Madrid given how their previous two visits to Anfield have unfolded.
Mourinho’s side would also have home advantage if the clubs are paired together this time around.
The Champions League draw can produce plenty of difficult assignments regardless, but Madrid already know one scenario they will not have to confront.
No homecoming for Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate
Real Madrid have signed two players as effectively free agents from Liverpool in the past two seasons, with Trent Alexander-Arnold arriving a season ago and Ibrahima Konate this summer.
However, both former Reds will not be going back to Anfield, at least in the league phase of the Champions League.
Trent and the Anfield crowd have no love lost following the acrimonious manner in which his departure unfolded.
Konate’s departure may not have caused the same kind of furore but, regardless, neither player can be considered an Anfield favourite any longer.
It remains to be seen whether the duo get to face their former team at the Bernabeu when the draw is made, or whether this is a fixture that will not take place for the third successive year in the league stage.
After a month into the new season, Aurelien Tchouameni is finally back in action for Real Madrid.
The Frenchman made his first appearance of the season for the Merengues last night against Inter Milan after recovering from the muscular injury that delayed his campaign.
His return to fitness had raised questions over where he would fit into Mourinho’s plans.
Tchouameni has been a regular in Real Madrid’s midfield for several seasons under different managers, but the end of last season was far less straightforward.
His confrontation with Federico Valverde, combined with speculation over his future at the club, created uncertainty about his position. His lack of a proper pre-season also appeared to put him behind other midfield options.
Bernardo Silva had established himself as an important figure, while Eduardo Camavinga was also ahead of Tchouameni in terms of match fitness.
With Real Madrid looking for greater creativity in midfield, there were questions over whether the Frenchman would still be a first-choice player.
Key for Mourinho
According to AS (h/t Bernabeu Digital), however, Mourinho has no such doubts. Tchouameni remains a key player for the Portuguese coach and is expected to be a starter.
Mourinho sees the French international as a midfielder without a direct replacement in the squad.
For Jose, Tchouameni provides something that none of the other midfielders in the squad do – a more defensive and positional presence, combining his tactical discipline with considerable physical strength.
His ability to shield the defence and provide balance could be particularly important for a Real Madrid side that want to defend aggressively and attack quickly in transition.
For that reason, his absence at the start of the campaign has not changed the manager’s view of his importance.
Mourinho faces a midfield selection problem
The challenge for Mourinho now is finding a way to fit all the pieces together.
If Tchouameni is guaranteed a starting position and Valverde is considered untouchable as captain, the obvious consequence is that Bernardo could find himself starting from the bench.
The summer arrival had been given an important role in helping Real Madrid control and distribute possession from deeper positions.
However, with Tchouameni and Valverde both occupying midfield places, Mourinho cannot accommodate everyone in the same lineup.
How the Portuguese coach manages that competition will be interesting to see in the coming weeks.
