Why Carlo Ancelotti Can Extend Real Madrid's Winning Run to 23 Matches
All good things must come to an end. Unfortunately, for Real Madrid's rivals at least, it doesn't look like Carlo Ancelotti's side are in any rush to take their foot off the pedal.
A 5-0 Copa del Rey victory over UE Cornella in midweek was their 17th successive win in all competitions. It's a run that has included two wins over Liverpool, Clasico success against Barcelona and plenty of hammerings.
In 12 of those 17 wins, Madrid have scored at least three goals; against Deportivo La Coruna they hit eight.
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Depor, though, may seek solace in the fact they're the only side to have breached Los Blancos' back line more than once since the European champions embarked on this remarkable winning run.
The Madrid defence has only been opened up on seven other occasions during the current hot streak, keeping nine clean sheets—with eight of those coming in the club's last 12 outings.
Celta Vigo head to the Bernabeu this weekend, but despite their recent success at Camp Nou, it's unlikely they'll be expecting to leave with anything.
Following the Celta Vigo game, Bulgarian side Ludogorets are in the Spanish capital in Champions League action, before Madrid head south to tackle Almeria in La Liga. Winning those three matches will leave them on 20 consecutive wins—five better than the record belonging to Miguel Munoz and Jose Mourinho's teams stood at.
So just when will Madrid's winning run come to an end?
In England's Premier League this season, it took newly promoted Burnley 11 games to win their first game.
Their manager, Sean Dyche, speaking to Richard Sadlier for the Irish Independent before that victory, "pointed out that it's a statistical reality that the longer that [losing] run continues, the higher the probability of a win becomes."
He was right. Burnley soon won their first game. A second win followed immediately, and they’re now unbeaten in four.
| 18 | Celta Vigo (H) | League |
| 19 | Ludogorets (H) | UCL |
| 20 | Almeria (A) | League |
| 21 | TBC | World Club Cup |
| 22 | TBC | World Club Cup |
| 23 | Valencia (A) | League |
| 24 | Atletico (A) TBC | Cup |
| 25 | Espanyol (H) | League |
| 26 | Atletico (H) TBC | Cup |
| 27 | Getafe (A) | League |
| 28 | TBC | Cup |
| 29 | Cordoba (A) | League |
| 30 | TBC | Cup |
| 31 | Real Sociedad (H) | League |
| 32 | Sevilla (H) | League |
It was an extremely positive way of looking things, but it was also true; nothing lasts forever in football. Burnley were, under Dyche or not, going to win a match again, and Madrid will soon draw or lose.
They should head off to the Club World Cup later this month with 20 straight wins under their belt. There, in Morocco, they will meet either Cruz Azul or Western Sydney Wanderers in the semi-final. Win 21?
In the final, with silverware on the line, it's presumed they'll meet Argentinian side San Lorenzo. Win 22?
That takes them up to the winter break in Spanish football. The new year, though, will greet them with two very tough away games: Valencia at Mestalla in La Liga and Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon in the Copa del Rey.
The Madrid derby isn't yet confirmed, but given Atleti's 3-0 win at L'Hospitalet on Wednesday night, it looks likely.
Valencia showed what a tough nut they are to crack under Nuno Espirito Santo against Barcelona on Sunday—Sergio Busquets' stoppage-time winner saving the Catalans from dropping four points behind Madrid.
However, Ancelotti's side should have too much for Los Che; Atleti may be a different matter.
Los Rojiblancos have already beaten their city rivals in the league and the Supercopa this season, and they will be confident about the prospect of beating Real in the last 16 of the cup.
Buoyed by the task of ending what could then be a 23-match winning run, Diego Simeone's side should at least have enough for a draw against what may be a rotated Madrid side.
And if not, they'll get another crack the following week after Espanyol have visited the Bernabeu. If Atleti have let it get that far, they would be making the short journey across town trying to halt a 25-match winning run.
The two next meet in the league in February. Madrid would love to have won 32 games in a row by that point, although it would mean they'd have notched two wins against Atletico in the cup and, in all probability, two more against Barcelona in the same competition.
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