Real Madrid do not register ‘lucky charm’ for 2024-25 UEFA Champions League

Real Madrid’s success in the UEFA Champions League in recent years has completely been down to the quality of the squad and the undying mentality in the dressing room.

Apart from the game on the field, however, there has been an element of superstition added to the team’s success in Jeremy de Leon.

The youngster was included in the squad travelling to the Etihad Stadium when Real Madrid faced Manchester City with an uphill task despite being unregistered to play. Real Madrid’s win on the night gave him a nickname as the ‘lucky charm.’

De Leon then travelled with Los Blancos to Munich and then to Wembley, and Real Madrid’s special wins in both fixtures established his status as a charm.

Not registered for the UCL

As revealed in a recent update via AS, Real Madrid have not registered the Castilla star for the UEFA Champions League this year either just as was the case last term.

De Leon will thus not be able to play for Real Madrid in the competition, although there will be no restriction on him travelling with the team as he did last season.

While it is not surprising given the player’s minimal influence in the first team, his exclusion is significant as the player and his entourage firmly believed he was travelling with the team based on merit.

They expected him to be included in this season’s squad but the club do not appear to have changed their stance.

Interestingly, Carlo Ancelotti and Co. had extra vacancies on the A list to include De Leon should his services have been needed. Their decision to keep him out of the dynamics, thus, is purely for sporting reasons.