Real Madrid vs Juventus was far from a blockbuster, but strong performances from Militao, Asencio, and Fede — along with goal contributions from Jude (and maybe you should count Vini) — gave encouragement. But there’s one big takeaway…
For all the concern around Arda Guler in big games, albeit a small sample size, he has been Madrid’s best player against Atletico and now Juve. As Managing Madrid’s Lucas Navarrette tweeted after the match, “_This is the ultimate proof that Arda should never play RW ever again. Do what you have to do to make sure he’s a CM._”
His match was maybe best encapsalted by some statistics that the Spanish Twitter account Don Amancio provided:
_Arda Guler delivered an all-around display today, registering 10 ball recoveries and 7 key passes._
_He becomes the first player in Europe this season to record 7 or more key passes and 10 or more recoveries in the same match._
_The last player to achieve such a feat was Isco, who posted 7 key passes and 11 recoveries for Real Betis against Fiorentina in the UEFA Conference League on May 8, 2025._
_The last instance in the Champions League dates back more than five years, when Trent Alexander-Arnold registered 7 key passes and 13 recoveries in a 120-minute clash against Atlético Madrid on March 11, 2020._
The next big test comes on Sunday against Barcelona, where Arda is expected to once again be in the midfield alternating between a #6, a #8, and a #10 depending on what the game calls for.
See More:
* [Real Madrid CF: Champions League](/real-madrid-cf-champions-league)
* [Real Madrid CF: Players](/real-madrid-cf-players)