Real Madrid kick-off their latest Champions League defence on Wednesday when they welcome last season’s semi-finalists Roma to Santiago Bernabeu.
This will be a big night for head coach Julen Lopetegui, who will need to show he’s capable of building on Zinedine Zidane’s outstanding work and construct a fourth-successive win. There will also be a glaring absence in the Los Blancos line-up, with the departed Cristiano Ronaldo playing such a pivotal role in their recent successes in Europe.
As for Roma, they must show a lukewarm start to the 2018/19 Serie A will not impinge on their continental ambitions.
Here are the talking points ahead of the Group G-opener:
JULEN’S JOB STARTS NOW
🗣🎬🏆 #EnelCorazóndeLaDecimotercera
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 18, 2018
Zidane's half-time team talk at the 2018 Champions League final! pic.twitter.com/61TUrSUL6K
Reigns at FIFA’s Club of the Century are defined by success or failure in Europe.
If Lopetegui does not challenge for a record-extending 14th triumph, then history shows he’ll do well to get a second season. Especially when the last boss landed three in a row.
Speaking in the build-up to the Roma clash, the former Madrid reserve goalkeeper appeared to be revelling in the pressure.
“It makes me feel proud, responsible and very excited about a competition which I don’t need to explain what it means to us and what Real Madrid means to the Champions League,” Lopetegui said at a press conference.
“You can only take your hat off to the players and their coach (for winning three-successive Champions League trophies).
“Now I’m going in to each competition with desire, enthusiasm and confidence that we will win. It’s normal that there’s pressure at Real Madrid.”
Lopetegui’s implementation of a possession-heavy, 4-3-3 system has gone well thus far. Character and resilience were also shown at Athletic Bilbao at the weekend to escape with a 1-1 draw, even though this broke a perfect start in La Liga at the fourth attempt.
Now the man without a major club trophy to his name must show he is capable of landing the grandest prize of them all. Starting on Wednesday.
WHAT’S GONE WRONG FOR ROMA?
EDF: "It's early days to get a clear idea of the new Real Madrid. They play differently without Cristiano Ronaldo. I'm not going to tell you how we'll play tomorrow. I saw improvement against Chievo but we must do better defensively – that's crucial.”#ASRoma #UCL #RealRoma pic.twitter.com/UmtaL1ndsI
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) September 18, 2018
Kostas Manolas’ epic header against Barcelona – to complete the unforgettable ‘Romantada’ – now seems like it came from another era.
All the enthusiasm from April’s stunning quarter-final comeback has drained away. Major departures such as Brazil No1 Alisson and ex-Belgium bad boy Radja Nainggolan have chipped away at Eusebio Di Francesco’s options, leading to a disquieting start in Serie A which sees his side sitting ninth with five points from a possible 12.
Boos followed Sunday’s surrendering of a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 with bottom-placed Chievo. Not an ideal preparation for a trip to the Spanish capital.
Di Francesco will now look to the experience of Argentina recruit Javier Pastore. He will also need to curb a ceaseless desire for experimentation that led to the suicidal 3-4-2-1 formation utilised at Liverpool in the last-four.
LIFE WITHOUT RONALDO
🎯 On the volley!@GarethBale11 | @Lucasvazquez91 | @Benzema pic.twitter.com/68JqUbPHk8
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 17, 2018
Domestic dominance proved surprisingly fleeting for Ronaldo during nine years at Madrid.
Only two La Ligas were claimed, the last coming in 2016/17. But his flood of goals in the Champions League – which he claimed four times in white – were a crux.
Ronaldo’s feats in it are without compare. The competition’s all-time top scorer – with 120 goals – managed to boost his figures by being the leading marksman during each of the last six seasons.
Successor Gareth Bale has spoken about Madrid being “more of a team” without the now Juventus forward, or a stellar summer addition such as Brazil superstar Neymar.
The veracity of these words will be defined by progress – or lack thereof – in the Champions League.
