Emilio Butragueño dropped his usual optimism after the Champions League draw. Real Madrid's director of institutional relations issued a clear, explicit warning once the Monaco draw had placed Los Blancos on a path mined with giants.
His message was direct: enough suffering, no repeat of the last two seasons, and one goal above all, escape the trap of the first knockout round.
The draw handed Madrid a set of fiery fixtures. Los Blancos face seven heavyweight opponents in Inter Milan, Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven, Roma, Leipzig, LASK and AEK Athens.
"This tournament is extremely difficult; all the matches are evenly matched and close in level, we must have the right mentality," Butragueño told "Movistar".
The Real Madrid legend aimed his warning at the players and coaching staff. The priority, he stressed, is to avoid the scenario that has recurred over the last two seasons: elimination in the quarter-finals, against Bayern last season and at the hands of Arsenal in 2024-2025.
"We will do our utmost to qualify directly for the round of 16 and avoid the first knockout round, we will take part with great enthusiasm, we go into this tournament with the same familiar enthusiasm," he added.
His concern is well founded. Since the new format arrived two seasons ago, Real Madrid have never qualified directly for the round of 16, forced instead into the round of 32 play-off twice. In 2024/2025 they scraped past Manchester City, and last season they edged out José Mourinho's Benfica to advance.
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The full schedule of the Champions League league phase is expected next Saturday, 29 August.