Real Madrid will face a major Champions League test on Wednesday when they host Italy’s Juventus at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. Both sides aim to secure vital points in Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) 2025-26, with the Spanish giants seeking to consolidate their early-season dominance and Juventus desperate to climb the group stage standings.

Match Details:

• Fixture: Real Madrid vs Juventus
• Competition: UEFA Champions League 2025-26
• Date & Time: Wednesday, October 22, 9:00 PM (19:00 GMT)
• Venue: Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, Spain
• Coverage: Live build-up from 6 PM (16:00 GMT) on Al Jazeera Sport, followed by live text commentary.

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Current Form and Domestic Performance

Real Madrid

Real Madrid, one of only six unbeaten sides in the Champions League, currently sit second in their group, behind Bayern Munich.

• Weekend La Liga Result: 1-0 victory at nine-man Getafe.
• Key Performer: Kylian Mbappé, extending his goalscoring streak to 11 consecutive matches.
• Next Fixture: Clasico against Barcelona on October 26, 2025.

Juventus

Juventus are struggling in both domestic and European competitions, languishing near the bottom of their UCL group.

• Weekend Serie A Result: 2-0 defeat at Como.
• Current Serie A Position: 7th, four points behind AC Milan.
• UCL Group Stage: Two draws against Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal, needing a win to stay competitive.

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UEFA Champions League History

• Real Madrid: 15-time UCL winners, most recently in the 2023-24 season, defeating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the final.
• Juventus: Two-time UCL winners, last title in 1996, most recently reached the final in 2017, losing 4-1 to Real Madrid.

Previous Real Madrid vs Juventus Encounters

• FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Real Madrid won 1-0.
• Champions League Quarterfinal 2018: Real Madrid progressed with a 98th-minute penalty by Cristiano Ronaldo, winning 4-3 on aggregate.

Overall Champions League Head-to-Head:

• Matches: 21
• Real Madrid Wins: 10
• Juventus Wins: 9
• Draws: 2

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Team News and Injuries

Real Madrid Injuries

• Dean Huijsen: Out with a left calf micro-tear.
• David Alaba: Calf injury, game-time decision.
• Other Defenders Missing: Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy.

Juventus Injuries

• Gleison Bremer: Out with knee surgery until mid-November.
• Juan Cabal: Left back, recovering from thigh injury.
• Edon Zhegrova: Hip injury, doubtful.
• Formation: Coach Igor Tudor may adjust tactics after recent 2-0 loss to Como.

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Predicted Lineups

Real Madrid (4-3-3 Predicted):

• GK: Thibaut Courtois
• DEF: Fede Valverde, Eder Militao, Raul Asencio, Alvaro Carreras
• MID: Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Franco Mastantuono
• ATT: Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Kylian Mbappe

Juventus (4-3-3 Predicted):

• GK: Michele Di Gregorio
• DEF: Pierre Kalulu, Daniele Rugani, Lloyd Kelly, Andrea Cambiaso
• MID: Khephren Thuram, Manuel Locatelli, Teun Koopmeiners
• ATT: Francisco Conceicao, Jonathan David, Kenan Yildiz

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Key Players to Watch

• Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid): In red-hot form, aiming for his first UCL title with Real.
• Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid): Central midfield dynamo, pivotal in controlling the tempo.
• Kenan Yildiz (Juventus): Young forward seeking to break Juventus’ scoring drought.
• Manuel Locatelli (Juventus): Midfield orchestrator, key in linking play.

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Match Outlook

• Real Madrid: Unbeaten and in form, with momentum from recent La Liga results.
• Juventus: Desperate for victory, needing to improve morale and secure points in the group.

A high-stakes showdown awaits at the Bernabéu, where European football history and Champions League prestige are on the line. Real Madrid will aim to maintain dominance, while Juventus seeks redemption in one of the season’s most anticipated fixtures.