The familiar territory of the Champions League semi-finals awaits 14-time winners Real Madrid, who host Manchester City in the first leg of their last-four affair on Tuesday night at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Carlo Ancelotti's men overcame Liverpool 1-0 in the 2021-22 final on the back of one of the all-time European classics against Man City, prevailing 6-5 on aggregate in last year's two-legged semi-final extravaganza.
While both sides enter the contest as reigning champions domestically, La Liga champions-elect Barcelona will surely dethrone Los Blancos soon, but Ancelotti's side clinched Copa del Rey glory at the weekend courtesy of a 2-1 win over Osasuna in the final.
Ahead of Tuesday's blockbuster tie, Sports Mole takes a closer look at Real Madrid's route to the 2022-23 Champions League semi-finals.
GROUP D - FIRST PLACE
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Joining forces with Celtic, Shakhtar Donetsk and RB Leipzig to form an intriguing Group D , Real Madrid's status as section winners was never in doubt, and they seemingly laid any concerns to rest by winning each of their first three matches, scoring seven goals and conceding just once.
Los Blancos were able to seal an early qualification for the knockout rounds on matchday four, although they dropped points for the first time in a 1-1 draw with Shakhtar, where an injury-time Antonio Rudiger header confirmed Real's top-two finish.
Rudiger was left bloodied for his troubles as he courageously leapt to challenge for the ball with Shakhtar goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, but his efforts were worthwhile, and Real took their foot off the gas in the penultimate matchday, losing 3-2 to German hopefuls Leipzig.
Ancelotti's men only held a one-point lead over Die Roten Bullen in first place heading into the final matchday, and while the Bundesliga outfit did what they needed to do - hitting Shakhtar for four without reply - Real comfortably swept aside Celtic 5-1 to finish on 13 points from their six group games and qualify for the last 16 as group winners.
LAST 16 - REAL MADRID 6-2 LIVERPOOL
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The latest instalment of the Real Madrid-Liverpool rivalry saw last year's finalists renew hostilities in the last 16 of this year's tournament, and the Reds were ostensibly en route to a successful revenge mission for their Stade de France heartbreak.
In front of a typically boisterous Anfield atmosphere, Liverpool left the travelling Real dumbstruck with two early goals in the first leg, as Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez breached the Blancos backline within the opening 14 minutes.
A horrendous howler from Thibaut Courtois gifted Salah his goal, but Alisson Becker added to the goalkeeping gaffes on the night, as he booted the ball straight at the feet of Vinicius Junior - who had already found the bottom corner with aplomb - to equalise.
Eder Militao proceeded to head Real Madrid in front while fans were still returning from their half-time refreshments, before the timeless Karim Benzema scored his customary Champions League goals, netting twice in a chaotic Merseyside rout.
Following an enthralling 5-2 success for Real, the second leg at the Bernabeu was inevitably a more low-key affair, as Liverpool could not spark the turnaround of all turnarounds and succumbed to a 78th-minute Benzema strike in a comfortable evening for the holders.
QUARTER-FINALS - REAL MADRID 4-0 CHELSEA
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As was the case in the 2021-22 season, Real Madrid and Chelsea squared off in the quarter-finals with one team aiming to continue the defence of their continental crown, but few expected this year's battles to be as competitive as Los Blancos' 5-4 aggregate success 12 months beforehand.
A declining Chelsea travelled to the Bernabeu mired in mid-table obscurity in the Premier League under Frank Lampard, and the first leg went according to the script, as Benzema and Marco Asensio struck either side of the break in a routine 2-0 win for the holders.
Lampard's side showcased a competitive edge in the second leg at Stamford Bridge, but the home crowd soon witnessed the familiar painful sight of players in blue missing chances left, right and centre, which would unsurprisingly prove costly.
Brazilian starlet Rodrygo increased Real's aggregate lead on the 58-minute mark, and if there were still any lingering doubts about the outcome, the 22-year-old doubled his tally 10 minutes from time to confirm a ruthless Real's rightful place in the final four.
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Ben Knapton
