Already in their first season, Real Madrid stepped out of the shadow of their refoundation, finishing the season in second place behind FC Barcelona. What seemed at first a promising start would become the fixed order in Spanish women’s football over the coming years. Only in the 2021/22 campaign did Real have to settle for third place; otherwise, they’ve always maintained their status as the second-best team in the country.
This rise was made possible not least by the whole club’s willingness to invest in the fledgling project. Right from the start, the club managed to bring highly experienced players to Madrid, such as Swedish pair Kosovare Asllani and Sofia Jakobsson as well as the German Babett Peter. In the 2020/21 season, two promising Spanish talents, Olga Carmona and Misa Rodríguez, joined the squad, while further seasoned pros from the Primera División bolstered the line-up. Yet to this day, an overpowering shadow looms over Madrid: that of Barcelona. As yet, there has been no getting past the Catalans. As a result, Real are still waiting for the first trophy in the club’s history.
We spoke with Melanie Leupolz ahead of the first Champions League meeting between two of her former clubs:
