Yahoo Sports January brilliance from Real Madrid as they conquer fixture chaos with only one defeat
Real Madrid entered 2025 facing a hectic and demanding calendar, with seven different competitions awaiting them.
The start of the year presented a tough schedule, including La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League.
Across just 26 days, Carlo Ancelotti’s men were required to play nine matches, five of which were away from home, leaving little time for rest with games coming every three days or less.
The team entered the new year surrounded by uncertainties. In the 26 matches leading up to Christmas, Real Madrid struggled to establish a consistent style of play.
They suffered five defeats and recorded four draws, which kept them in contention across all competitions, but their performances left much to be desired.
In La Liga, they faced fierce competition from Atletico Madrid, who capitalised on Barcelona’s slump to rise in the rankings, placing Real Madrid second before the winter break.
The Champions League campaign also presented difficulties, with the Whites losing three of their six group-stage matches.
A bad start to the new year
Interestingly, their crushing 2-5 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup raised concerns, echoing their poor La Liga performance against Hansi Flick’s side, where they were thrashed 0-4.
Questions arose about Ancelotti’s tactical approach, but his team managed to bounce back with a strong month of performances, showcasing significant improvement.
Since then, they secured eight consecutive wins, advancing to the Copa del Rey quarter-finals and the next stage of the Champions League.
In La Liga, they capitalised on Atlético Madrid’s inconsistency to take the top spot, four points ahead of their city rivals and seven clear of Barcelona.
Ancelotti has stabilised the ship
Ancelotti found unexpected solutions on the bench, with players like Dani Ceballos, Fran Garcia, Brahim Diaz, and Rodrygo stepping up, alongside improved performances from Kylian Mbappe and the influential leadership of Jude Bellingham.
Interestingly, Real Madrid’s resurgence was driven by their attacking prowess, scoring 30 goals across the eight wins, averaging 3.75 goals per game compared to their earlier two-goal average.
Their defence also showed improvement, conceding just five goals, reducing their average to 0.6 per match.
Although they have struggled against Barcelona, Real Madrid appear to have found their rhythm, ready to tackle the rest of the demanding season ahead.
