Ferland Mendy Omitted from Real Madrid's Champions League Squad
Ferland Mendy has suffered a brutal blow in his fight to regain full fitness, left out of Real Madrid’s Champions League squad for the new league phase. The French defender, injured towards the end of last season, does not appear on the official UEFA list submitted by the club.
His omission lands just as Jose Mourinho signs off on his European plans ahead of next week’s opener at the Santiago Bernabeu against Inter Milan. For Mendy, it means Europe will have to wait.
Mendy out, Militao and Rodrygo in
The decision is stark. While Mendy misses out entirely, Mourinho has chosen a different path with other long-term absentees. Eder Militao and Rodrygo both make the cut and are registered alongside the rest of the first-team core.
It underlines the tightrope the technical staff are walking. They must juggle fitness concerns, recovery timelines and the need for depth in what promises to be a gruelling Champions League campaign. Militao and Rodrygo are deemed worth the gamble. Mendy, for now, is not.
Youth surge on List B
Mourinho’s List A carries few surprises, but the real movement comes on List B. There, Real Madrid have loaded up on youth from Castilla, injecting fresh legs and raw ambition into the European squad structure.
A total of 11 youth players are included. New signing Sergio Martinez stands out, handed the number 38 shirt and a fast track into the senior picture. He is joined by promising goalkeepers Sergio Mestre and Javi Navarro, while defenders such as Fortea and Joan Martinez add cover across the back line.
These names may not yet echo around the Bernabeu, but they now sit one step away from the Champions League stage.
Domestic tests and a sidelined Mendy
With the European list now locked, Real Madrid must quickly swing back toward domestic business. Mourinho’s side faces a demanding fixture against Real Betis at La Cartuja, and the coach has already shown his willingness to lean on youth, with Sergio Martinez earning senior call-ups.
The calendar will not slow down. The matches will pile up. The squad will be stretched.
Mendy, though, will not be part of it in Europe. His task is a lonelier one: watch from the sidelines, rebuild his fitness, and hope that when Real Madrid revisit their options later in the season, his name is no longer the one missing from the list.
