Complacency Biggest Threat to Real Madrid After Schalke Draw in Champions League

Emilio Butragueno looked straight ahead. Not blinking. Appearing emotionless.

Surrounded by officials from 15 other European clubs at the round-of-16 draw for the 2014-15 Champions League, he had to remain respectful. In such situations, it's a must—expressing obvious delight can only draw negative attention.

But for the former Real Madrid icon, who's now the club's director of institutional relations, that task would have been considerably harder than it was for any other official in the room.

He simply had to avoid eye contact. Remain expressionless. Avoid any sudden movements. Conceal his delight.

Real Madrid had drawn Schalke.

It was an ideal result.

And even if it couldn't be seen, Butragueno was smiling on the inside. Widely.

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Of course, those who subscribe to the significance of prior records will immediately point to Los Blancos' two-leg demolition of Schalke in the same stage of last year's competition.

In that tie, Cristiano Ronaldo bagged four goals of his own as Real Madrid romped to a 9-2 aggregate triumph over their German counterparts—a hammering that will be fresh in the minds of Roberto Di Matteo's men when the European champions visit Veltins-Arena on February 18.

But more relevant again are the respective form lines for Real Madrid and Schalke—two very contrasting recent records that presently give this tie the look of a lopsided one.

While Carlo Ancelotti's men have stormed to 20 consecutive victories in all competitions (six of those in the Champions League), Die Konigsblauen are well off the pace being set in the Bundesliga and scraped through Group G in the European competition a single point ahead of Sporting.

Indeed, Schalke needed a narrow 1-0 victory over Maribor to overcome the setbacks that had been delivered in previous rounds: a 4-2 loss to Sporting and a 5-0 hammering at the hands of Chelsea.

Now, a defence that conceded 14 goals in the group phase—only three teams conceded more—will have to contend with the most fearsome strike force on the continent.

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Such a matchup leaves complacency as Real Madrid's most obvious obstacle to navigate as their title defence enters the knockout rounds.

Compared to Schalke, they're better on every line. Deeper at every position.

Ancelotti's men are more versatile systematically. More talented. More powerful. More decorated.

And they're the holders of the trophy—a team in the midst of setting records with alarming regularity. The game's established benchmarks are at their mercy.

Even Barcelona have been powerless to repel Real Madrid's fury.

One suspects Schalke, assuming they're without some assistance from Los Blancos, won't be the first to do so.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

A look ahead to Real Madrid's fixture list in the lead-up to the first leg of their round-of-16 encounter heightens such a sense.

In early January, Ancelotti's side faces a resurgent Valencia in La Liga. Several weeks later, a clash with fourth-placed Sevilla follows. Then comes the Madrid derby on February 8.

Some, of course, may view such a stretch as taxing. But Real Madrid have the resources to complete it with style, and in meeting three of Spain's top five prior to the trip to Schalke, Los Blancos will enjoy a number of tune-ups before that first leg arrives.

Simply, Real Madrid are unlikely to be on cruise mode in that period. Instead of walking through simple fixtures, they'll be operating at maximum force.

Provided that intensity doesn't wane, Schalke won't be the ones to stop them.

Butragueno, inside at least, might still be smiling.