Real Madrid return to Greece on Wednesday chasing a piece of Champions League history that has curiously eluded them for decades: an away win over Olympiacos.
For a club that has conquered Europe in almost every imaginable way, this particular frontier remains strangely intact, as if Piraeus itself decided the kings of Europe must wait at the door.
Olympiacos welcome them in a season where Europe has not been kind but domestic football has.
Their Champions League campaign has sputtered into life with two draws and two defeats, leaving them buried in 31st place overall.
Yet this bleak continental picture is at odds with their confident domestic form.
Mendilibar’s side crushed Atromitos 3-0 over the weekend, extending a five-match unbeaten run across all competitions and stretching their lead at the top of the Greek Super League.
The team’s identity under Mendilibar is sharpening.
Olympiacos press higher, transition faster and defend with the kind of collective stubbornness that has long powered Greek clubs at home on European nights.
Ayoub El Kaabi, in prolific form with 10 goals in 16 appearances, leads the line with the poacher’s instinct he showed last season.
Daniel Podence’s return has added width, unpredictability and the sort of one-v-one threat that unsettles even elite defenses.
With only Alexandros Paschalakis and Konstantinos Angelakis ruled out, Olympiacos arrive at full strength, sharpened by form and buoyed by a venue where they simply do not yield.
History reinforces that confidence.
Olympiacos have never lost to Real Madrid on Greek soil.
Three of the four meetings have finished level, including the goalless draw in November 2007 when Madrid’s stars left Karaiskakis Stadium visibly frustrated.
The other ended in that famous 2-1 home win in 2005, when Olympiacos overwhelmed Madrid in midfield and defended as if the entire port depended on it. For the Red-Whites, Piraeus is not merely a stadium; it is a statement.
Madrid arrive as European royalty in need of a reminder of their own power. After a smooth start to the season, momentum has sputtered.
Since their 4-0 routing of Valencia in early November, Alonso’s squad has produced two league draws and a tight loss to Liverpool in the Champions League.
Their once-automatic rhythm has dulled, and despite still topping La Liga by a single point over Barcelona, the unease around Valdebebas has grown louder.
Their Champions League position mirrors that contrast: seventh overall with nine points from four games, thanks to wins over Marseille, Kairat Almaty and Juventus before Liverpool handed them their first European defeat of the season.
Madrid remain very much alive, but the margins feel thinner than usual, and speculation around Alonso’s future has picked up traction.
Several players have reportedly voiced support for the Spaniard, but the whispers reflect something undeniable: inside Europe’s most demanding club, patience is a fragile currency.
Injuries aren’t helping.
Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao and Franco Mastantuono are out, while Antonio Rüdiger, Aurelien Tchouameni and David Alaba are racing the clock.
Madrid’s defensive core is stretched, and the burden on their midfield grows heavier.
Yet there is still firepower.
Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde are expected to return to the XI, while Eduardo Camavinga’s energy and range will be key to matching Olympiacos’ midfield intensity.
Alonso is weighing a tactical adjustment, with a 4-3-1-2 on the table – Jude Bellingham operating as the central link behind a Mbappe-Vinicius pairing that is built for devastation when the chemistry works.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose advanced role has surprised many, remains in line for another start.
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