Real Madrid and Juventus face off in the UEFA Champions League with squads valued at €2B billion at the Bernabéu

Real Madrid hosts Juventus on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid for the third round of the UEFA Champions League league phase. The match kicks off at 4:00 PM (Brasilia time) and marks a reunion of two European giants who have faced off in tournament finals. Real Madrid aims for a third consecutive victory in the competition, while Juventus seeks its first win after two draws. The game underscores the economic disparity between the clubs, with squad market values exceeding €2 billion.

The Merengues hold second place in the standings with six points, following wins over Kaiserslautern and Marseille. Coached by Xabi Alonso, the team boasts a prolific attack, averaging 3.5 goals per match in the Champions League. Juventus, led by Igor Tudor, has two points and faces defensive challenges, conceding eight goals in two games.

Siga o Mix Vale no Google e veja nossas notícias primeiro

The referee is Slavko Vinčić from Slovenia, known for an average of 4.21 cards per game in European competitions. The match will be broadcast by TNT Sports in Brazil.

Starting players and their values

Real Madrid fields a 4-3-3 formation with a starting XI valued at €960.4 million. The confirmed lineup includes:

• Thibaut Courtois (goalkeeper): €19.4 million
• Federico Valverde (midfield, captain): €126 million
• Rafael Asencio (defense): €36 million
• Éder Militão (defense): €31 million
• Álex Carreras (defense): €53 million
• Jude Bellingham (midfield): €170 million
• Aurélien Tchouaméni (midfield): €78 million
• Arda Güler (midfield): €58 million
• Brahim Díaz (forward): €42 million
• Kylian Mbappé (forward): €191 million
• Vinícius Júnior (forward): €156 million

This sum reflects recent investments in global talents, with Mbappé and Vinícius as standout individuals.

Juventus employs a 3-4-2-1 setup, with a starting XI valued at €322.8 million. The listed players are:

• Mike Di Gregorio (goalkeeper): €17.2 million
• Federico Gatti (defense): €23 million
• Daniele Rugani (defense): €2.1 million
• Lloyd Kelly (defense): €24 million
• Pierre Kalulu (defense): €16.5 million
• Weston McKennie (midfield): €27 million
• Khéphren Thuram (midfield): €23 million
• Andrea Cambiaso (midfield): €38 million
• Teun Koopmeiners (midfield): €37 million
• Kenan Yıldız (forward, captain): €33 million
• Dušan Vlahović (forward): €72 million

The individual values show balance in Juventus’ midfield but overall inferiority compared to their opponent.

Recent team performance

Real Madrid shows consistency this season, winning 10 of 11 matches across all competitions, with just one loss. In the Champions League, they scored seven goals and conceded one.

Juventus has three wins in nine recent games. Their European draws include high-scoring matches, like 4-4 against Borussia Dortmund.

The head-to-head record favors the Spaniards, with 11 wins in 22 official matches.

Individual highlights in the matchup

Kylian Mbappé leads Real Madrid’s attack with 95 in technique and 69 in tactics in recent evaluations. The Frenchman seeks his first Champions League goal in 2025-26.

Vinícius Júnior contributes with speed and creativity, rated at 90 in creativity.

For Juventus, Francisco Conceição stands out with 72 in technique, despite less defensive impact.

Kenan Yıldız, at 19, wears the captain’s armband and represents the club’s new generation.

Absences and available substitutions

Real Madrid deals with defensive absences. Antonio Rüdiger, Dani Ceballos, and David Alaba are out due to injury. Daniel Carvajal is suspended.

Substitutes include Andriy Lunin (€13 million in goal), Ferland Mendy (€16.9 million at left-back), and Eduardo Camavinga (€49 million in midfield).

Juventus misses Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal due to injury. Arkadiusz Milik and Carlo Pinsoglio are also unavailable.

Bench options: Mattia Perin (€2.4 million), Manuel Locatelli (€10.8 million), and Loïs Openda (€49 million).

Squad investment comparison

Real Madrid’s full squad reaches €1.4 billion, driven by signings like Bellingham and Mbappé. This amount accounts for about 60% of the club’s annual wage budget.

Juventus totals €602.7 million, focusing on youngsters like Yıldız and additions like Koopmeiners. The €797.3 million gap highlights differing squad-building strategies.

Both clubs prioritize financial sustainability under UEFA rules, but Real Madrid benefits from higher continental competition revenues.

Transfermarkt data shows Real’s average player value at €35 million, compared to €20 million for Juventus. This gap impacts future transfers and talent attraction.

Expectations for the Bernabéu clash

The Santiago Bernabéu, with an 81,000 capacity, hosts fans for the first time in this year’s league phase. The atmosphere boosts Real Madrid, unbeaten at home in the Champions League for 12 matches.

Juventus bets on quick counterattacks, leveraging transitions with Conceição and Vlahović. Tudor adjusts to a three-defender setup to counter the opponent’s attacking trio.

Analysts predict Spanish dominance, with odds of 1.56 for a Real Madrid win. The match could see over 2.5 goals, given a 4.2 average in recent encounters.