Real hungry for trophies

A look at Real Madrid ahead of its Champions League semifinal against Atletico 9:45pm today.

SEASON SO FAR:

Madrid enters the final month of an already remarkable season still in contention for the two major titles still available — the Champions League and the Spanish league.

Zinedine Zidane’s team has already won the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup, and it has a chance to become the first team to win back-to-back Champions league titles since the competition’s new format was created in 1992-93. It won its 11th title last season, and it also lifted the trophy in 2014.

This is Madrid’s record seventh straight appearance in the competition’s semifinals, and it could become the first team to have a chance to defend its title since Manchester United in 2009.

Madrid also can end its uncomfortable title drought in the Spanish league, a competition it hasn’t won since 2012. Another year without the league title would give the team its biggest drought since the 1980s.