Real Madrid made Champions League history as soon as the first leg of their round of 16 tie kicked off against Atlético Madrid.
A packed Santiago Bernabéu eagerly awaited the opening whistle of yet another Madrid derby in the Champions League. Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid have played one another nine times on Europe's biggest stage, including two Champions League finals. Now, the La Liga rivals are battling for a spot in the quarterfinals, and Los Blancos made history along the way.
Real Madrid became the first team to play 500 games in the European competition. From the European Cup to the Champions League, the Spanish side has played more matches in the competition than any other club.
Check out how Los Blancos' historic milestone compares to other European giants:
Rank
Team
European Cup/Champions League Matches
1
Real Madrid
500
2
Bayern Munich
404
3
Barcelona
357
4
Juventus
311
5
Benfica
302
Bayern Munich are the only other team to even play 400 European Cup/Champions League matches.






