Real stuck in hibernation



Posted Saturday, January 17, 2015 by Marca.com

Real stuck in hibernation
'BLANCOS' CAUGHT COLD AFTER WINTER BREAK

Carlo Ancelotti's worst fears were justified. The Real Madrid coaching staff were apprehensive about the daunting fixture list in January and their concern has proven well-founded.

The team that racked up 22 straight victories and were flowing as smoothly as silk have suddenly caught a cold.

Ancelotti's men made history with an all-conquering run that took them to Club World Cup glory in Morocco, but since then they seem to have run out of steam.

The friendly defeat to Milan on 30th December should have been a wake-up call, but it doesn't appear to have been heeded. Next came a deserved loss at the Mestalla and being dumped out of the Copa del Rey at the hands of local rivals Atlético, with a routine yet not fully convincing win over Espanyol sandwiched between the two legs of the cup tie.

Real seem to be stuck in hibernation mode after the Christmas break. They are looking distinctly jaded and their winning aura has disappeared. The Valencia game could have been written off as a one-off, but Atleti - expertly coached by Diego Simeone, who clearly has Ancelotti's number - well and truly buried that notion.

After the 2-2 derby draw, Cristiano Ronaldo called for patience. "In two or three weeks the team and I will be flying again", he insisted. Despite his shiny new Ballon d'Or gong, the Portuguese ace isn't firing on all cylinders. Neither are Dani Carvajal, Toni Kroos, James Rodríguez and Karim Benzema, among others. Only Isco appears to be immune to the January blues.



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