Not that Real - aiming to become the only club to win this title three times in a row, and who also have the incentive of surpassing the total of wins they currently share with rivals Barcelona - will be getting involved in a hurry.

As winners of the UEFA Champions League, they do not get involved until the semi-finals, with the same privilege holding good for the winners of this year’s Copa Libertatores, River Plate.

The latter team may feel they on a roll as they seek to become the first Argentinian winners of this tournament, having beaten their compatriots and bitter rivals Boca Juniors 3-1 after extra-time, and 5-3 on aggregate, at Real’s own stadium on Sunday (December 9).

The second leg was moved there after violence involving rival fans forced two postponements.

On the first occasion River Plate fans attacked the Boca Juniors bus, with some players suffering minor eye and arm injuries and being affected by pepper spray used by riot police.

Plans to re-stage the game in Buenos Aires were shelved given the threat of further violence, and it eventually took place in Madrid.

Five other teams will seek to join the two favourites in the last four.

These are the Kashima Antlers, winners of the Asian Football Confederations Champions League, Esperance de Tunis, winners of the Confederation of African Football Champions League, 2018 CONCACAF Champions League winners Guadalajara, Team Wellington, winners of Oceania Football Confederation Champions League, and UAE Pro-League champions Al-Ain.

Al Ain and Team Wellington compete in a play-off tomorrow, with the winner taking on Esperance de Tunis in one of the two quarter-finals on Saturday (December 15).

The other quarter-final match will be between Guadalajara and Kashima Antlers, who lost 4-2 to Real after extra time in the 2016 final.

Victory would see the Japanese side meeting Real again in the second semi-final on December 19.

River Plate will await the winners of the other quarter-final, meeting them next Tuesday (December 18), with the final scheduled for December 22.

Teams from Spain have won this title six times, and Brazil four times.

No team outside Europe or South America has yet been victorious – and no Argentinian team has yet lifted the trophy.

Traditionally the tournament is not as highly regarded in Europe as it is in South America, but it does offer Real Madrid’s Santiago Solari the chance to win his first piece of silverware since becoming manager on October 30.

This looks like being one of the last versions of the tournament in its current format given the widely publicised plans of FIFA President Gianni Infantino to expand it into a quadrennial tournament involving 24 teams, starting in 2021.

However, strong opposition from UEFA has slowed Infantino's plans and a task force is currently looking at ways of moving forward.