If Real Madrid was able to pick a country to never visit in a European competition, that would certainly be Germany. Los Blancos have historically suffered every time they have travelled there.
The latest precedent was last year, when Madrid visited Dortmund twice in the Champions League and lost both games, first in the group stage, before a humiliating 4-1 defeat in the semi-final first-leg. That was nothing strange for Los Merengues, since they have only earned one victory in the 25 matches they have played in Germany. The have lost on 18 ocassions, while drawing the other six matches.
That sole Los Blancos’ win on German soil took place on September 27th 2000, when they beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-3 in the third matchday of the group stage of the Champions League. The Madridistas’ goals were scored by Guti and Roberto Carlos, who netted two.
Carlo Ancelotti’s starting goalkeeper for the Champions League, Iker Casillas, was among the players who played that night. Thus, he knows better than anyone that winning in Germany is not completely impossible for Real Madrid as Los Blancos pay a visit to Schalke 04 in the first leg of this season’s Last-16 round.
* Follow Alvaro Heralta on Twitter at @medialunablog
