01x01 - The Rebuild

[bunniefuu]

[commentator] Courtois!

[crowd chanting, cheering]

[commentator 2] Benzema!

This is crazy!

[commentator] Goal!

- [stadium announcer] Luka...
- [crowd] Modrić!

[commentator] Goal!

Vinícius Júnior!

[commentator speaks in Spanish]

[pundit 1, in English] The
players have the talent.

I don't know if
they're still hungry.

[pundit 2] There was no evidence today
that they could overcome this deficit.

[pundit 3, in Spanish] I wonder if
Real Madrid have forgotten how to win.

[pundit 4, in English] How
long is Benzema going to last?

[pundit 5, in Spanish] The midfield
is not working, nor is the attack.

[pundit 6, in English]
There's no way on earth

that this Real Madrid side
win the Champions League.

[crowd cheering, whistling]

[commentator]
Modrić plays it in.

- The header. It's in!
- [commentator 2] Oh!

- There it is!
- [commentator] It's in!

[commentator 2] They're the champions
of Europe for the tenth time.

[commentator 3, in Spanish]
Cristiano kicks! Goal! Goal!

[commentator 4]
11th European Cup.

[commentator 3] Goal!
Goal! The 12th time!

He passes with his right foot...

[commentators 3, 4] Goal!

[commentator 2, in
English] The 13th time,

the fourth time in five years,
the third year in a row.

[interviewer, in Spanish] Another
title for Cristiano Ronaldo,

the best player in
Real Madrid history.

It was a beautiful
experience being...

in Real Madrid. [clicks tongue]

I'll talk in the
next few days, okay?

Is this a goodbye?

No, I've enjoyed this
moment with my teammates.

In the next few days,
I'll give an answer.

[Pedrerol] This is
the news of the year:

Cristiano is
leaving Real Madrid.

[Carvajal] This season
is almost over for us.

We have to face it, not hide.

Acknowledge we're having a
shitty season, and that's it.

[commentator, in English] and
Varane. I don't believe it.

[crowd cheering]

Pulisic... and
there's the second.

Madrid knocked out of the
Champions League by Chelsea.

[interviewer] Is this
the end of a cycle?

[Kroos] Uh, I think, in my
opinion, we still have a good team.

But to be honest,
we lost everything.

[reporter] Zinedine Zidane,
as we've been mentioning,

has decided to step down as Real
Madrid head coach for a second time.

His exit follows a
disappointing season.

[reporter 2] After 16 years at the club,
Sergio Ramos is to leave Real Madrid.

[reporter] Manchester United reached
an agreement with Real Madrid

to sign defender Raphael Varane.

[pundit] It might be a
terrible season for them

because I don't see some players
being able to do what they used to do.

[Pérez, in Spanish] I started
going to football games

with my father
when I was little.

I was around four years old.

I used to go down the stairs
and watch from the pitch level.

Each time Real Madrid scored,
I'd run up and hug my father.

One of those times, I
fell and split my lip.

I still have a scar,

because in those days nobody
fixed those things. [laughs]

So I still have the scar
as a reminder of... of...

Of the excitement from watching
those goals at the Bernabéu.

When I hugged my father.

[narrator, in English] The pressure
on Real Madrid is always sky high.

And as the start of the
new season approaches,

many questions are being asked

about how much this squad
is going to achieve.

Not only is the Santiago
Bernabéu Stadium being renovated,

but the team itself
needs rebuilding

following the departure of key players,
including the captain and the coach.

[in Spanish] We're the
"construction workers".

[Modrić] It's really impressive.

Watching it...

is impressive.

Let's hope we can play
the first match here,

in September.

[narrator] The first step
in this rebuilding process

is to find a new coach.

And a familiar face is
waiting in the wings.

Let me tell you the story of
Ancelotti's comeback to Madrid.

Beginning of the summer,
Carlo is in Liverpool.

It's raining.

Picks up the phone
and calls Madrid.

The White House, Casa Blanca.

[Ancelotti, in Spanish] I called
because I was training Everton

and wanted to check if we could get
some players that they didn't want.

[in English] Let's say that,
uh, they go on 15, 20 minutes.

Then at the end, "What
about the manager?"

[in Spanish] Then I realized they
were looking for a coach, so I said...

"Listen, Real Madrid
needs one of the best."

He asked me who.

So I said: "Have you
forgotten about 2014?"

[narrator] Carlo Ancelotti is
already a legend in Madrid,

winning the club its 10th Champions
League title in 2014, La Décima,

after a 12-year drought.

You couldn't ask for a more
experienced coach than Ancelotti.

He's won everything there is to
win as a player and as a manager.

He can tick off most of the top leagues
and a lot of the top clubs in Europe.

He knows he's got nothing left
to prove, really, to anybody.

"Can you do it?" "Yes."
"You want to do it?" "Yes."

"Give me five minutes."

So... [clicks tongue]

[Ancelotti, in Spanish]
The President called me.

We didn't speak about
a contract or anything.

Just that I was
interested in returning.

We arranged everything
in a few hours.

Everyone loves him.

The fans and the
players love him.

That's why we were
delighted to have him.

[in English] That
was on a Saturday.

And on Tuesday, Ancelotti
was presented here in Madrid.

[camera shutters clicking]

[Ancelotti, in Spanish] Thank
you very much to Real Madrid.

I want to thank the
President, who wanted me here.

And also the Board of Directors.

I'm very happy to be back.

Ancelotti feels a great
admiration and a huge respect,

not only towards football

but especially
towards Real Madrid.

[Lowe, in English] He's of a certain
age, he thinks: "This is fantastic.

I've been given a second
chance at Real Madrid.

I know the press will be on my back,
I know players can be difficult.

I know it can be
difficult with pressure

from the President, from everything
that goes on in this club.

But so what? It's Real Madrid."

[in Spanish] He's
at a point where...

he just enjoys
his work, I think.

The other thing that stands out
about Carlo Ancelotti is that

he is great in the press room.

[camera shutters clicking]

I've noticed that in these five
years, nothing has changed.

All the same faces,
the same journalists.

The only things that change in
Real Madrid are the coaches.

[journalist] Coach, have
you decided your lineup yet?

- I have.
- [journalist] Okay...

Could you tell us?

- [Marcelo chuckles]
- No.

You can only play the football
you have in your mind,

based on what you
have in front of you.

I can't apply pressure if I
have a fat player, for example.

[journalist 2] How's your
relationship with Roberto Carlos?

It's great. He's
a club ambassador.

He had a great career here.

All of us love him very much.

But he's not playing tomorrow.

- [journalists laugh]
- [camera shutters clicking]

[narrator, in English] But behind
Carlo's wry sense of humor,

lies a shrewd footballing mind.

And that's vital when taking over
a team in search of a new identity.

[Kirkland] Karim Benzema. He's
getting older, can he do it again?

You had someone
like Luka Modrić.

Can he maintain his
level for another year?

Can you have an all-new
sense of that partnership,

and can that click
and gel straightaway?

You had some exciting young players,
like Vinícius in particular.

Like Rodrygo, like
Fede Valverde.

But these are players who hadn't
established themselves yet,

or hadn't become consistent
performers in the... in the side.

[in Spanish] Real Madrid
usually brings the best players.

They have to train them too.
They must also understand that

you not only need
the best players,

you need to have the best team.

[pop song in Italian
plays on car radio]

[narrator] And so begins
another commute to the office

for Carlo Ancelotti.

But this is no ordinary office.

[Ancelotti, in Spanish] I
arrive at around 9 o'clock.

Then we have a
meeting with the staff

and the medical team to
prepare the tasks for the day.

I also talk to the doctors to
check which players are available.

Then, alongside the
staff, I prepare

the daily tasks we need to
accomplish during training.

The players have managed to create
a great atmosphere between them.

Between the veterans
and the youngsters.

[clicks tongue] It's good.

This group doesn't
give me any problems.

We manage everyone really
well. They are very respectful.

Uh...

Yes, there's a great
work environment.

- The doctor.
- [in Italian] Good morning.

How are you doing?

[narrator, in English] Ancelotti's
formula for reviving Madrid's fortunes

is based on meticulous
preparation.

- [Ancelotti, in Spanish] Good morning.
- Good morning.

[Ancelotti] Look.

My office.

Here we have a video room.

We watch the videos here.

We prepare them for the players.

There we study the matches.

On this board.

We look at the games...

The idea is always this:

The ball goes here.

Pass it here. Pass it here,
pass it here and score.

[chuckles] It's quite simple.

[narrator] While it might
not be quite that simple,

the team immediately responds to the
new coach's experience and commitment.

[Casemiro, in Spanish] I thought a
coach who has won everything was coming

and he wouldn't be looking
forward to winning again.

But he surprised me
from the beginning.

[Carvajal] I've noticed a big
change in him, in his staff,

his understanding of football

after coaching other teams.

I've always tried
to learn from him,

to listen to him.

Because Carlo is a big deal.

Let me put it this way.

That [bleep] was excited to be there
with us from the very beginning.

To win, to teach us,
to learn with us.

He looked like a little kid
enjoying every day with us.

With this team, I
sleep well at night.

Because they're a
high-level team.

[narrator, in English] Many outside the
club, though, are yet to be convinced.

It clearly feels like there is suddenly
the end of a cycle, a transition.

And I wish the best for Carlo Ancelotti
because he's a fantastic coach,

but he can't do
miracles I guess.

- [car horn honking]
- [crowd cheering]

[narrator] With questions being asked
about the squad and their returning coach,

the start of the new season
will soon provide answers.

LaLiga is the most star-studded
football league in the world.

And at this level of competition,
weaknesses are quickly exposed.

[crowd cheering]

LaLiga is the top flight,
the first division

of the men's football
league here in Spain.

Some of the biggest names in world
football want to come to Spain,

and they want to play in LaLiga
because they know what it means.

[in Spanish] There are good players, good
football, a great stadium atmosphere.

THE THRONE IS OURS

[Hunter, in English] It's very
rich when it comes to the tactics,

the philosophies of approach
to playing the game.

[in Spanish] To win LaLiga, you need to
be very consistent throughout the season.

The rival players
are always motivated.

"I'm playing
against Real Madrid.

Millions and millions of people
are going to watch me play,

I'll try to play
my best football."

[crowd cheering]

[narrator, in English] In
the first week of the season,

Levante should prove modest opposition
for a team like Real Madrid.

[Corrigan] Ancelotti came in
and seemed to have a set plan

for what he was going to do.

He was going to play Gareth Bale

and Eden Hazard alongside
Benzema in attack.

[narrator] Right from the opening
whistle, the gloves are off,

for in LaLiga there
are no easy opponents,

and Madrid are in
for a rude awakening.

[commentator, in Spanish]
Roger inside the box!

[commentator 2]
Get it out! Goal.

[Corrigan] That didn't work out so
well. The team didn't fit together well.

Bale and Hazard weren't
playing so well.

[commentator, in Spanish] From the top, a
long kick... Careful because he is alone!

- [commentator 2] Goal.
- [commentator] Great goal.

[González] The first lineups of the
season are with Hazard and Bale.

Ancelotti came in like, uh,

"If you want it, earn it."

"I have a lot of respect
for who and what you are."

But Vinícius is the
one who earns it.

[narrator] At two-one down,

Ancelotti's team selection
appears to be failing.

So the coach turns
to the young g*ns.

[commentator, in
Spanish] Let's see.

The ball goes to Casemiro
who is looking for Vinícius.

Let's go, Vinícius. There he
goes. He's entering the area.

Goal! Goal from Vinícius!

[narrator, in English] The young
Brazilian is here to prove a point.

[commentator 2] Ancelotti's
team is looking for a tie.

He is inside the
area again and...

[both commentators]
Goal, goal, goal!

- [commentator] Goal! Goal! Goal!
- [commentator 2] Goal from Vinícius!

[final whistle blows]

[Vinícius] I did a
great pre-season,

and that's very important
to me and all the players.

The new coach helped me gain
the confidence I needed.

I was able to contribute a lot
from the start of the season.

[Ancelotti] We have to
work a lot on our defense

and be more aggressive
without the ball.

With this spirit and step-by-step,
we are going to solve it.

[narrator, in English] But there's no
time to take stock of progress in LaLiga,

with Europe's elite football
competition about to kick off.

The Champions League is the most
prestigious annual sporting contest

on Earth.

[Kirkland] The Champions
League is the biggest,

the most successful financially,

the most watched, the most talked about
club football competition in the world.

[narrator] And also
the most unforgiving.

With matches taking place at the
same time as domestic leagues,

only the best of the best
qualify for this competition,

pitting the continents' greatest
teams against each other

in a battle for supremacy
where just one will prevail.

[Mijatović, in Spanish] Both
collectively and personally,

it's a competition that
gives you prestige.

[Sainz] What Real Madrid has always tried
to be is... Is the best club in the world.

There's only one place
where you can prove that.

And that is, without a
doubt, the Champions.

[narrator] In the first round
of the Champions League,

teams are drawn
into groups of four.

With the top two in each group
progressing to the knockout stage.

[Roberto Carlos] Playing
in LaLiga is one thing,

because you know
the opposing team,

but when you play in the Champions,
it's completely different.

When you change the ball for the
stars, the players are motivated.

[narrator, in English] Real Madrid is
drawn in a seemingly favorable group,

opening at home against
Sheriff Tiraspol.

This humble side from Moldova is
making its debut in the competition

against the greatest club
in Champions League history.

But Sheriff are not
following the script.

[commentator] Cristiano... Men in the
middle if Cristiano can pick them out...

He certainly can! And Sheriff
Tiraspol take the lead!

Well, a big shock at
the Santiago Bernabéu.

Hazard lets it run for Vinícius!

Great ball in to Benzema.

Curls it, almost into
the bottom corner.

Another big chance.

Sebastien Thill. Oh, he's...

[Kroos] Games like this maybe

mentalize you a bit
that nothing is easy.

And... And also that anything
can happen on both sides, yeah?

Uh, on the good side
and on the bad side.

[narrator] And so
far this season,

the team's results are
decidedly on the bad side.

[commentator, in Spanish] Welcome to
the 8th week of the national league.

Espanyol against Real Madrid.

- [commentator] Watch out for that arrival...
- [commentator 2] One on one... and goal!

[commentator] Goal from Vidal.

[Pedrerol] Making people forget the
Ramos-Varane duo was very complicated.

There was fear at the beginning.

There was pressure because
they were replacing

historical players from
Madrid. That weighed on them.

[Lowe, in English] Even if we
think Militão is brilliant,

and David Alaba is brilliant,
are they a brilliant pair?

Is it actually going to work?

[Ancelotti, in Spanish]
Today's defeat was no accident.

We didn't play well.
We deserved to lose.

This weekend was terrible.
The team was terrible.

The defense is still one of the
biggest problems for Real Madrid.

This is called disorder.

This is called disarrangement.

This is the magical recipe,
Ancelotti. That's it.

Something was going on.
It wasn't a solid team.

[in English] I think, uh, what he meant,
really meant, was to do better as a team,

where we have to improve, uh,
our game against the ball.

[Benzema, in Spanish]
It was a difficult time.

Because we always want
to win and play well

but sometimes football
doesn't work that way.

[Modrić] We had lots of...

How do I put it? Ups and downs.

Some matches were
good, some not so much.

But we stayed calm

because we knew that it
was a natural process.

There were, uh, new
and young players.

We had to improve as a team.

And those matches were
like a slap on the wrist.

[blows whistle]

Pressure first. Pressure.
Pressure on the ball.

[Pedrerol] Ancelotti didn't have three
years to prove his return was worth it.

He knew he didn't
have much time.

[narrator, in English] With
problems piling up for Ancelotti,

and the squad struggling to gel,

a familiar foe is lurking around
the corner, ready to pounce.

It's time for El Clásico,
when twice a season,

Los Blancos take on their
bitterest rivals, FC Barcelona.

Two titans of sport whose
enmity goes back generations,

on and off the pitch.

[Modrić, in Spanish] Every game is
important, but El Clásico even more.

You feel the tension, the
nerves. Your heart beats faster.

[Mourinho] Use your head.

[Xavi] It's the
match of matches.

Historically it has always
been Barcelona against Madrid.

And Real Madrid is always
at the top in Europe.

[commentator] Raúl is inside
the box... Goal, goal, goal!

[Corrigan, in English] El Clásico is the
biggest club game in the world, by far.

And over the last ten, 15 years,

most of the best players in the
world have appeared in El Clásico.

[commentator] Benzema
steps up and rattles it in!

[in Spanish] It's always a very
demanding and complicated match.

But we knew that winning
it could shift the dynamic.

[commentator] Welcome
to El Clásico.

It comes on the 10th week
of the national league.

[narrator] The high point of any season,
watched by millions across the planet.

But this year, it feels
like do or die for the club.

[start whistle blows]

[commentator, in Spanish] El Clásico
starts. This is the beginning.

The German moves. He's
playing short and heeled.

First one. The first foul
from Mingueza to Vinícius.

Vinícius and Mingueza. Very
close. Vinícius escapes!

[commentator 2] Vinícius
is free in the goal area!

- Let's go! Penalty. Penalty.
- [commentator] Oh!

[commentator 2] I think
there was contact.

Watch out. He's
entering the area.

They are trying to block him!
The ball is back... and over!

[narrator, in English] But if you win,
it can be a game changer for the season.

[Corrigan] If you lose the Clásico,
automatically the fans are against you,

the press are against you.

It's difficult for a coach
to recover from that.

[commentator] Memphis
is back at the front.

Real Madrid wins it back.

They get the ball
back with great power.

Alaba... Watch out because
Vinícius has managed to escape.

He passes it to
Rodrygo. Rodrygo has it.

- [commentator 2] Good one!
- [commentator] Here comes Alaba.

Alaba goes to the
area, kicks and...

[both commentators] Goal!

[Alaba, in English] I was
very happy to... to score.

My first Clásico in Barcelona
was a really special day.

If you look back at the
history of the Clásico,

it's really great and amazing.

[narrator] Half time and Madrid take
a slender lead into the dressing room.

With the match on a knife edge,

a moment of brilliance from
either side could prove decisive.

[start whistle blows]

[commentator, in
Spanish] Lucas...

There is Modrić... Modrić
inside the box... He shoots...

Modrić leaves it to Karim!

Watch out, because Real Madrid is
looking for the counterattack now.

Lucas Vázquez gives
it to Marco Asensio.

It's one on one. Let's
see if he's fast enough.

- [commentator 2] Hit it.
- [commentator] He's in the area. Asensio...

[both commentators] Goal!

Congratulations, Mom!

[commentator 2] The goal from
Real Madrid ends the game.

The goal from Madrid
ends El Clásico!

Lucas Vázquez.

Zero-two.

[Vázquez] We showed
the energy, the guts,

that sense of belonging, of
going in the same direction.

[Rodrygo] It was great.
It was a big joy because

of course winning against
Barça is always difficult.

Winning that match was one of
the key moments of the season.

[shouts]

[players chattering, cheering]

I'm very happy. I remember
my first days here in Madrid.

I was 21.

Now that I'm 34, I'm
very happy at this club.

[crowd cheering]

[stadium announcer]
With number nine...

Karim...

[crowd] Benzema!

[narrator] Though Madrid's younger
players are starting to shine,

it's a seasoned veteran who is
now coming of age, Karim Benzema.

[in Spanish] The best
player in the world!

[in French] I'm Karim Benzema
and I joined Real Madrid in 2009.

- [reporters clamoring]
- [in Spanish] Careful with the wall.

[journalist] Ballon
d'Or, brother.

[reporter] Madrid and Olympique
Lyonnais have reached an agreement

on the transfer
of Karim Benzema.

The French striker of Algerian
descent has won four league titles

at the age of 21.

[Pérez] Not everyone knew
that this was your dream.

That this white T-shirt and that crest,
which you're finally wearing today,

are the ones you asked for years
ago in your hometown of Lyon.

Karim Benzema, welcome
to your new home.

Welcome to your
beloved Real Madrid.

[audience cheers]

[Pérez] I saw him as
a very special player.

He had Ronaldo
Nazario's goal skills.

He could also manage
the strikers up front,

like Zinedine Zidane did.

Sorry, I don't speak
Spanish very well.

I'm very happy.

To play in the...

In the best club in the world.

[audience cheers]

One.

Two.

Three.

- Hala Madrid!
- [crowd] Hala Madrid!

[commentator] Benzema
strikes... Goal!

Goal, goal, goal!

[Benzema] It was a dream.

I feel proud of my work in Lyon.

But you can clearly feel, um, the
pressure of wearing this T-shirt.

This club's history.

[Hunter, in English] Since the
arrival of Ronaldo to Real Madrid,

Karim Benzema had to be
basically his wingman.

[commentator] The ball
is inside the area...

Karim Benzema strikes...

Goal!

[narrator, in English] For all his
talent, Benzema is soon relegated

to a secondary role on the pitch

when the club signs one of
the world's greatest strikers,

Cristiano Ronaldo.

[Kirkland] Benzema was
more of a facilitator,

and he was intelligent
enough to do that

in terms of providing space
for Ronaldo to score goals.

[Hunter] He's basically kind
of just stayed in the shadows.

[commentator, in Spanish]
Benzema gets the ball!

He passes it to
Cristiano in the area...

Goal, goal, goal!

[Hunter, in English] And so a lot of
people didn't think Benzema was that good.

[commentator] Benzema!

[crowd whistling, booing]

[interviewer, in Spanish] How do you
deal with the booing and hissing?

Sometimes people don't understand
what I do in the field.

But I'm always here to help
my teammates and give my best.

[commentator, in English] Here's Benzema.
Good turn to get away from Savic.

Still going, Benzema keeps the ball...
What a bit of play from the Frenchman...

And pulls it back
for Toni Kroos.

He scores there, surely!

[interviewer, in Spanish] What a
move from Benzema on that goal.

[Marcelo] Karim is
an amazing player.

He helped us today
with his great magic.

For those of us who are with
him every day, it's normal.

Uh, that's why he, in my opinion, is
the best number nine in the world.

[Corrigan, in English] Cristiano Ronaldo's
exit was also a huge moment for him.

[narrator] With the
departure of Cristiano,

Benzema's talent is
finally unleashed.

[Lowe] One of the things that
changes is kind of emotional.

[González, in Spanish] What
we've seen from Benzema

in the past three
years is unexpected.

Leadership. Always
willing to help.

He didn't have surgery on his hand
not to stop playing for a month.

His celebrations, lack of critiques,
not talking back to the referees...

[Lowe, in English] It's about
feeling the responsibility.

Leadership, maturity.

Feeling like, "Okay,
this is my team now."

[in Spanish] I'm always
learning from him.

He's always talking to me
and giving instructions.

[Casemiro] Karim
plays the same way.

He understands the
game the same way.

He is the same as he
was seven years ago.

Instead of scoring

twenty goals per season, now
he scores 48 or 45 goals.

[commentator] Vini
is entering the area.

Vini strikes and scores!

Goal, goal, goal!

[commentator 2] Lifts it in on his
left foot... It drops to Benzema.

And Benzema does get his goal.

He will go down in history.

When he stops playing football in
15 years, people will remember him.

[crowd chanting] Ballon
d'Or! Karim, Ballon d'Or!

[narrator, in English]
Victory in El Clásico

has given Carlo
Ancelotti breathing room.

Yet despite the vital win,
it's straight back to work.

At Real Madrid, only
trophies are celebrated.

And no one knows this
better than the coach.

[Ancelotti, in Spanish] Having a
stronger defense was our priority.

Have the three of them: Modrić, Casemiro,
and Kroos in their natural positions.

This strategy made them
feel more comfortable.

Much stronger at the back.

And much more dangerous up front

because we could have fun and
take advantage of the speed

of Rodrygo and Vinícius,
of Karim's quality.

[players shouting, laughing]

[narrator, in English] With
the wind in their sails

and a new formation ready to be
unveiled, the players feel invigorated.

Which quickly becomes
apparent on the pitch.

[commentator, in Spanish]
Everything's ready here.

He whistles the beginning.

There is Mariano. What a back-heel.
And Vinícius has the ball.

He enters the area.
Goal, goal, goal!

[commentator] Welcome to the
4th week in the group stage.

He's inside the box,
searching... Vini, Vini! Goal!

[commentator 2]
Asensio with Kroos.

What a goal from Toni Kroos!

[commentator 3, in Spanish]
Casemiro, watch out for that ball.

Goal, goal, goal!

That's when the
season really started.

And we started gaining
more confidence.

[Nacho] When you are in that kind of
dynamic, you have to make the most of it.

We had, and we have
an amazing group.

That makes it easier
for us to win.

We got better with every match.

[narrator, in English] The improvement
in form soon turns into a winning streak.

[commentator] And it's in!

Throw it up. Benzema.

Oh! Superb strike.

[commentator 2, in Spanish]
Vinícius keeps going... Goal!

Goal!

[commentator, in English]
Return ball, Vinícius.

Wonderful in-cut
move. And Vinícius.

[commentator] Asensio. He's
gonna always take that chance.

And he gets it, what a goal!

Oh, my goodness, what a goal!

[commentator 2, in Spanish] Vinícius
in the area, he passes to Karim.

Goal! Goal! Goal!

[commentator 3] Vinícius
with the overlap.

There's the Brazilian.

Kroos to Benzema. It's a stunning
goal! What a strike! Karim Benzema!

[narrator] And what
a turnaround this is.

After a tough start,

Real Madrid now top the LaLiga standings
and have won their Champions League group.

For the knock-out stage
of the Champions League,

the teams that have
survived their groups

are randomly drawn to play each
other over two legs, home and away.

Fortune does not appear
to favor Real Madrid.

They're drawn against one of the
most powerful clubs in Europe.

Paris Saint-Germain

and, uh, their opponent is the only
club left in the pot, which is,

- name appearing...
- [presenter] Real Madrid.

[Marchetti] Real Madrid. So
Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid.

When the draw was made, in a way, it
felt like a bit of a disappointment

that these two teams
were meeting so early.

[Pochettino, in Spanish]
Playing in a round of 16

a Paris Saint-Germain against
Madrid seemed like an early final.

When they picked the PSG ball, people
in Europe thought Madrid had lost.

I don't think I can remember
anything more anticipated than that.

[in English] Madrid and PSG represent
these two kind of polar opposites.

Two huge clubs in
very different ways

with very different
histories, different outlooks.

PROUD OF OUR COLORS

Madrid are kind
of the old school,

a club that represents so much
of football's traditional values.

And PSG are kind of the new
wave, the up-and-comers.

The kind of club that
represents the influx

of a lot of investment
from overseas.

You've got Madrid, a club who've won
more European cups than any other team.

And you've got PSG who are desperate
to win their first Champions League

because they've never
managed to do it.

[Pochettino, in Spanish] The project
of Paris Saint-Germain is clear.

It's finding the best
football players,

to create a team that can win the
Champions League for the club.

[González] Neymar, who isn't
liked at all at the Bernabéu.

Then Messi, the biggest
beast in the last years.

[Kirkland, in English] And
of course the Mbappé factor.

This is a player who is PSG's star player,
and the best player in French football.

[in Spanish] Madrid
started as the victim.

Something quite unusual
for Real Madrid.

[Courtois, in English] It's
obviously a big, uh, challenge always

when you play against
top teams, top players.

But it's the games you want to play
because you know if you can beat them,

it means we are really strong.

Obviously you prefer
maybe an easier team,

but you never know what
can happen in football.

[narrator] To take on the likes
of Messi, Neymar and Mbappé,

the team needs to be
firing on all cylinders.

But before the big
match in Paris,

there's still the domestic
season to attend to.

[commentator, in Spanish] Look at
Alaba! Karim has it! He's in the area!

[narrator, in English] And just at the
worst possible moment, disaster strikes.

[commentator 2, in Spanish]
Benzema is injured.

- The French player removes his armband.
- [commentator 3] Injured how?

[commentator 4] Yes. Muscular.

- Muscular. How he left, it's the muscles.
- [commentator 2] Right leg.

[Sainz] When you see them
exciting people, winning,

when the machinery is
in gear and working,

you stop and say: "What? It's not
the time for Benzema to be injured.

Everything was going great."

[reporter] The big question in Real Madrid
is whether Benzema will play against PSG.

Ancelotti has a good feeling,

but four days before the
game, we still have no answer.

[narrator, in English] With under two
weeks until the team travels to Paris,

for the first leg of the
Champions League match,

Benzema needs to cut the usual recovery
time for an injury like this in half.

[Hunter] So in Spain,

a lot of the media or a lot of the fans
love to use the word "dependencia."

Basically, the dependency
on one specific player

and there's no question that Benzema
was that differential player.

[Ancelotti, in Spanish] Saying we
are dependent on Benzema is true.

There's no need to
hide it. [chuckles]

I'm very happy of having
this dependence. Very happy.

I'm happy to be dependent
on Karim Benzema.

I have to stop playing, but...

I always want to be on
the pitch to help my team.

It is a difficult moment.

THIS IS PARIS

[Vinícius sighs]

[interviewer, in Spanish] Benzema
is finally in the starting eleven.

What level can we expect?
Obviously not 100%.

[Ancelotti] Technically 100%,

but physically he may lack
something in the last minutes.

We're not thinking about that.

We're focused on the fact that he's
playing, and that's what matters to us.

[Benzema] I'll always
do my best for my team.

Always. Otherwise...

I would have stayed
in Madrid today.

So, I'm always there
to help my team.

If I have to push hard, I will.

[speaks Spanish]

[crowd cheering, chanting]

[commentator, in French] We
are privileged to be here

with you at the
Parc des Princes.

The Parisian public has been
waiting for this for three years.

A Champions League
knockout match.

What an atmosphere at
the Parc des Princes.

Tonight it's PSG
against Real Madrid.

The biggest club in the world
faces its most ambitious opponent.

Real Madrid against
Paris Saint-Germain.

Paris' time is here.

Mbappé gets the ball from Messi.

It's a miss for Mbappé!

[narrator] Right from the start,
Real Madrid are pegged back

by a sustained onslaught
from the French team.

[Kirkland] That first leg was one
of the worst European performances

from Madrid that I can
remember. They were terrible.

[crowd chanting, clamoring]

[in Spanish] My feeling
on the pitch was...

"We can't do this."

[Carvajal] It may be one of the
matches where I've suffered the most

against an opponent
on the pitch.

[commentator, in French]
Let's go. Nuno Mendes.

- Here we go!
- He passes it to Mbappé.

[commentator 2] Oh, too bad.

[Carvajal, in Spanish] He went
slowly, he wanted to control it.

Then he was very
fast and very strong.

He was very inspired and,
like I said, I suffered a lot.

[narrator] Despite their
poor play, Los Blancos

are hanging on for a draw,

which would be an amazing
result, given the circumstances.

But there's only so long you can
survive in the eye of the storm.

[commentator 3, in French] Come
on, Paris! Mbappé goes for it.

Penalty! Penalty!

Penalty in favor of PSG.

The unstoppable Kylian Mbappé.

[Carvajal, in Spanish]
These are key moments.

Especially in the Champions.

Where any mistake
can send you home.

[Courtois] Some players
protest with the ref.

I just concentrate already
on who might take it.

I saw Messi take...
taking the ball.

[narrator] That's
Argentina's Lionel Messi,

one of the greatest
footballers ever.

So how do you stop a penalty
from a world class scorer?

[commentator 2, in French] Golden
opportunity for PSG to score first.

The left foot of Leo
Messi against Courtois!

No way!

[narrator] With a
world-class goalkeeper.

Because sometimes you just need
to meet greatness with greatness.

So it was a good
and strong feeling

to save the penalty and to
continue in this nil-nil.

[narrator] Inspired by
Courtois' heroic save,

the team digs in and is mere seconds away
from escaping Paris with a dream result.

But there's one small problem.

Kylian Mbappé is
still on the pitch.

[commentator, in French]
It's now for Kylian Mbappé.

- [commentator 3] Yes! Yes!
- [commentator] Kylian Mbappé!

[commentator 3] Yes! [cheers]

Well done, Kylian!

Against Thibaut!

[narrator, in English] Madrid's brave
resistance is crushed at the death

by a player with star
dust in his boots.

[Ancelotti, in Spanish]
Mbappé is unstoppable.

I think we tried to control him.

He is a player who always
comes up with something.

He did it in the last minute.

[Pochettino] If we
keep this level,

we'll have a chance of
moving on to the next round.

[Ancelotti] It was really difficult
for us to overcome the pressure

that Paris Saint-Germain
put us under.

There isn't a complex explanation.
This is what happened.

We haven't... With the ball...

We haven't done it as we wanted.

When the game ended, I thought:

"It's impossible to win against
Paris now because they're better."

I think the first match
away was very difficult,

and we weren't able to play.

But we only conceded one goal.

We lost the chance of hurting
them more than we did.

[narrator] With the odds now
overwhelmingly stacked against them,

most teams would lose
hope. But not this one.

[in Spanish] Is
it difficult? Yes.

But at the Bernabéu...

everything is possible.

[narrator] The team prepares
for the return leg in Madrid

focused on how to snatch
victory from the jaws of defeat.

And now, they can draw
on a secret weapon:

The fervent belief
of their fans.

[crowd clamoring, cheering]

[fans chanting in Spanish]
Yes, we can! Yes, we can!

[Alaba, in English] When we arrived
with the bus at the Bernabéu,

we saw the people outside on the
street on our way to the stadium.

This was incredible.

In that moment, uh, you
could really feel already

something special is
going on on this night.

WE ARE THE KINGS OF EUROPE

[narrator] Los Blancos must
somehow use their home advantage

to outscore Paris
Saint-Germain by two goals.

A tall order for any team.

But this is Real Madrid.

[in Spanish] We know we will create
something magical in our stadium.

[commentator] Mbappé-Alaba.
Mbappé-Alaba. Mbappé scores.

[pundit, in English] He's going to
have some very difficult moments.

[pundit 2] With Mbappé or
Neymar in counterattack...

[chuckles] Well, good luck.

- [commentator] Unbelievable.
- [commentator 2] Let's go.

Let's go! Look at him.

Vinícius. Still Vinícius.
Marquinhos clears...