500 nights of glory in Europe

It's a moment of celebration for Real Madrid. The most successful club in the history of the European Cup now adds a new record to their already vast collection in the best competition for club football. In their encounter with Atletico Madrid, they became the first club to reach 500 nights in the competition.
500 nights of the European Cup, filled with disappointments but, above all, with joy. No one handles themselves better on this level than the team currently managed by Carlo Ancelotti. And no one strikes more fear across Europe than Real Madrid.
From September 8, 1955, when they faced Servette at the Charmilles Stadium in Geneva, to March 4, 2025, Real Madrid have built one of the greatest stories in world sports in the European Cup.
And there's no better place for this achievement than the Santiago Bernabeu, where many unforgettable comebacks have taken place, and where rivals step onto the pitch with fear simply because of the team they are up against
This milestone came in a special match, a derby, against Atletico Madrid, a team that has consistently challenged them in all competitions… except, notably, in the European Cup. Fond memories remain for Madrid fans from encounters with the Colchoneros in Europe's tournament.
Real Madrid have become the first team to reach 500 matches in Europe's top competition, with no other club coming close. The second club with the most appearances, Bayern Munich, is nearly 100 matches behind (404), followed by Barcelona (357), Juventus (311) and Benfica (302).
The Chamartin side divides their matches across the European Cup (170), Champions League (327), and Champions League qualifiers (2), a year in which Real Madrid had to participate in the qualifiers, overcoming Wislaw of Krakow.
No one has played more than Real Madrid, and no one has won more either. With 301 total victories and 15 titles, the Spanish giants are the undisputed kings of Europe, having won more trophies than any other club, more than double that of their closest rivals, AC Milan (7).
However, being the team with the most matches played also means they hold the record for most losses (113).
Real Madrid not only dominate historical team records but also individual ones. When it comes to the Champions League, there's no player more synonymous with the competition than Cristiano Ronaldo, who holds records for most appearances (183, 101 for Real Madrid), goals (140, 105 for Real Madrid), assists (43, 28 for Real Madrid), and victories (115, 71 for Real Madrid).
Furthermore, Real Madrid have had, and still has, players with the most European Cups won in history. Paco Gento, Toni Kroos, Nacho Fernandez, Dani Carvajal and Luka Modric have lifted the trophy six times. The latter two, in fact, could add another this season.