Real Madrid's Crucial Schedule Test Ahead with Tough Away Matches

Real Madrid faces a grueling stretch of fixtures this autumn that mirrors the testing road schedule which derailed their momentum during the previous campaign. When the squad steps onto the Santiago Bernabéu pitch to host Villarreal on Saturday, four full weeks will have elapsed since their last home fixture. That absence marks the beginning of a congested calendar that sends Mourinho’s team away from Madrid for crucial clashes against Barcelona and Valencia.

Last season, a similarly punishing run of six consecutive away matches saw the team surrender a five-point lead over Barcelona in the standings within a single month, dropping to one point below the azulgrana after managing only two victories during that stretch.

The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium Closure and Autumn Schedule

The upcoming fixture list exposes the club to extended absences from their home ground. Following Saturday’s 21:00 kickoff against Villarreal, Real Madrid travels to face Roma at the Olímpico de Roma on Wednesday 14, in the Champions League. Two home matches follow—hosting Sevilla on Sunday 18, and RB Leipzig on Wednesday 21—before a demanding mini-tour of away fixtures.

Real Madrid October 2026 Match Schedule | La Liga & Champions League Fixtures | All Matches & Dates

That away stretch features El Clásico against Barcelona at Camp Nou on Sunday 25, followed by matches against Racing on November 1, AEK Athens on November 4, and Valencia on November 7 or 8. Adding to the stadium’s unavailability, the venue will host an NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons on the same weekend as the Valencia fixture. Domestic action will pause for an international break before resuming with three straight home games against Celta, PSV Eindhoven, and Alavés.

Parallels to Last Season’s November Struggles

The current scheduling difficulties echo the turbulence experienced a year prior under Xabi Alonso, when the squad embarked on a six-match road trip across competitions. Entering that stretch with 13 wins from 14 matches, the team encountered turbulence starting with a 1-0 defeat at Liverpool, where goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois prevented a heavier margin. Consecutive league draws against Rayo (0-0) and Elche (2-2) followed either side of an international break.

Real Madrid's Crucial Schedule Test Ahead with Tough Away Matches

Although a 4-3 victory against Olympiacos in the Champions League offered brief respite, a 1-1 draw at Girona subsequently cost the club the league lead. While the six-match sequence concluded with a 3-0 win against Athletic at San Mamés, the eventual return to the Bernabéu brought consecutive defeats against Celta (0-2) and Manchester City (1-2), establishing a cautionary precedent for the weeks ahead.