Dark, foreboding skies over Valdebebas warned Madrid that this would not be easy. The football world poured cold water over Perez’s planned European Super League, and the heavens opened to do the same to his team. This wasn’t the kind of 'making it rain' that the Madrid president had been hoping for when he launched his pet project.
Madrid have shown plenty of swagger in 2021, most impressively of all in their 3-1 win over Liverpool in the last eight but, in recent weeks, their workload has taken a toll on them.
With over 50 injuries this season, Zinedine Zidane has been left with a threadbare group at times, and key players have not been able to rest.