Real Madrid’s team coach was involved in a motorway collision on the M40 in Warwickshire following their Champions League defeat to Liverpool.
The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon and involved a lorry, a car and the team’s bus, which was transporting equipment back to Spain.
Warwickshire Police confirmed that no serious injuries were reported. The players, who had flown back to Madrid after the match at Anfield, were not on board.
The bus had been travelling southbound between junction 16 for Hockley Heath and junction 15 for Warwick when the crash took place.
Footage showed the damaged coach stationary on the side of the motorway. Police and emergency services attended the scene, which caused significant delays in the area.
A police statement read: “Our officers responded to reports of a collision involving a car, a lorry and the coach of a well-known football team on the M40 southbound.
“Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured. The players were not on the coach at the time.”
The crash occurred a day after Madrid’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the Champions League. The defeat left the 15-time European champions 24th in the league standings under the new competition format.
It was their third defeat in five matches, raising doubts about their chances of progressing to the knockout stage.
Liverpool’s win saw them extend their perfect record in the competition, securing their place at the top of the group with three games remaining.
Goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo sealed the victory, with Kylian Mbappe missing a crucial penalty for Madrid in the second half.
The loss to Liverpool marked Madrid’s first defeat to the Merseyside club since 2009, following victories in the 2018 and 2022 Champions League finals.
The focus for Madrid now shifts to recovering from this setback both on and off the pitch.
