Real Madrid's Trip to Eibar Kickstarts Gentle Stretch of Opportunity

From the Bernabeu to the Arena Lviv to the Ipurua: In theatre terms, it's like making a rapid trip from the bright lights of Broadway to a dark street corner, the journey one of absolute extremes. 

In the entertainment industry, of course, heading in such a direction is something to avoid, but for Real Madrid, such a direction might be one they need to take; getting away from the spotlight might be just what they need. 

Following last weekend's catastrophic outing in the Clasico when they were jeered and whistled off their own stage, Madrid took the first step in their recovery on Wednesday with a victory more than 2,000 kilometers from home in Ukraine.

It wasn't totally convincing, but it was a start. Something to work from.

Freed from the Bernabeu's glare in the Arena Lviv—the halfway point in the trip from Broadway to off, off, off, off Broadway—Rafa Benitez's men looked a happier bunch. Winning helps, certainly, but the escape seemed to be relished, the more low-key surrounds giving a beleaguered team the sort of environment they needed. And on Sunday, the surrounds will be more low-key again. 

In the hills of the Basque Country, Eibar's Ipurua Municipal Stadium has a capacity of just more than 6,000. If that sounds absurd for a Primera Division team, it's not; it's totally logical. The entire town is home to just 27,000—a number that would fill one-third of the Bernabeu. 

In relative terms, then, Eibar is that dark street corner. A distant end of the spectrum.

A good place for a team needing to find an identity. 

Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press

At present, Real Madrid's biggest issue is that they've developed a muddled existence. In a transitional period under Benitez, they've lost a sense of clarity in their purpose, the essence of the team hard to pinpoint. At both ends of the pitch, though they've looked to operate with vigour, there's been a feeling of disorganisation, the whole side seemingly caught in an uncomfortable middle ground between what's natural and what's being asked. 

In short, Real Madrid need to work out who they are. And if they say that's often best done on the road, they could add it's often best done in secluded, far-away places.

Places like the Ipurua.

Though a trip north to face Eibar is a more challenging exercise than it ever previously has been—under Jose Luis Mendilibar, the Basques have lost only twice this season and currently sit sixth in the table—Madrid will like their chances and will look forward to this contest as another chance to establish a better sense of self. 

Indeed, these are the sort of games in which Los Blancos can work through their issues away from the glare of the major occasions that have populated their recent schedule. Last weekend, the major occasion was against Barcelona; before that, it was Sevilla; before that, it was Paris Saint-Germain. And before that, it was Celta Vigo, PSG again and Atletico Madrid. 

For Real Madrid, that was always going to be a difficult and challenging stretch. But what's ahead looks far more gentle.

SERGEI SUPINSKY/Getty Images

Now through the gauntlet and out the other side, Madrid are entering a stretch of opportunity that begins with Sunday's clash against Eibar. 

After visiting the Ipurua, Benitez's men will face Cadiz in the Copa del Rey before welcoming Getafe and Malmo to the Bernabeu. After that comes a tricky trip to El Madrigal and Villarreal, but in the two-month stretch that follows, Madrid face Cadiz again, Rayo Vallecano, Real Sociedad, a remarkably out-of-sorts Valencia, Deportivo La Coruna, Sporting Gijon, Real Betis, Espanyol, Granada, Athletic Bilbao and Malaga. 

Essentially, Real Madrid don't have a marquee fixture until mid-February when the Champions League knockout stage arrives, which will be quickly followed by the season's second Madrid derby. And the absence of such fixtures is precisely what they need. 

In a gentle run, Madrid might finally be able to settle on a system that's been in a constant state of flux since day one, allowing Benitez to put his stamp on this team and quicken the pace of this transitional phase.

But the opportunities also go beyond that: Madrid might be able to define Gareth Bale's role in the looming stretch. To reintroduce James Rodriguez. To decide upon the composition of the midfield. To settle the right-back debate. 

To find some rhythm. To establish a style. To carve out an identity. 

Until now, all of that has been problematic, the game's major theatres not exactly helping. But Sunday's trip to the Ipurua marks the start of a very different period.