Eighteen matches, 18 wins, 67 goals scored, nine goals conceded, is there really any team that can stop Real Madrid at the moment?

The safe bet would be ‘no’. But soccer is a particularly difficult game where one challenger might not drop you but the accumulation of challengers will. Real Madrid have gone 18 consecutive matches without dropping points, but now they are nearing the Club World Cup and then start 2015 with two back to back away matches vs. Valencia and Atletico Madrid. Maybe none of the teams Real Madrid will face between now and Atletico are better than them but the challenging aspect of playing so many risky matches close to each other, coupled with the fact that Luka Modric is out injured and James was subbed off because of a suspected muscle injury; makes the prospect of Real Madrid continuing their winning streak for much a longer a distant chance.

After tying Barcelona as the Spanish club with the most consecutive wins in all competitions last week, Real Madrid will now aim to catch the world record for most consecutive wins, held by Brazil’s Coritiba at an astonishing 24 consecutive wins. In order to equal that record, Ancelotti’s men will have to win the following matches: Ludogorets at home in the UCL tonight, Almeria away from home in La Liga, the 2 Club World Cup matches, Valencia away from home in La Liga, and finally (and most difficult) Atletico Madrid at the Calderon in the Copa del Rey.

If the reigning European champions had a full squad and a few weeks rest this might seem like a doable challenge, but with Luka Modric out, James seemingly injured as well, Khedira still recovering, and Kroos showing sign of fatigue; it seems that Real Madrid’s midfield will bore the brunt of the onslaught coming their way in the next few weeks.

Real Madrid’s midfield’s connection with the forward line (usually the BBC) is one of the most important aspects in the side that Ancelotti has formed in his second season with the club. This is further demonstrated with the brutal and ruthless attacking force that the team has evolved in. For any observer of Real Madrid in the last 5-6 seasons, the attacking prowess will always be a main talking point when it comes to the team’s strength, but never before has the team been this prolific in front of goal. Real Madrid are currently the team with the most goals in La Liga (51), the most league goals in the Top 5 Leagues (51), the most goals in all competitions in Europe (75), and finally the most goals in the calendar year of 2014 so far (165). The team’s current numbers for the season are even more impressive when you factor in the ludicrously small number of games they have played (14 in La Liga and 24 in all competitions).

Therefor given Real Madrid dependence on their attack and how well they link with the midfield, it is quite essential that Ancelotti starts increasing his rotations in those 2 areas, something that we have seen him impalement in the most recent matches. Examples of which can be seen in him resting 8 starters vs. Cornella, substituting Cristiano before the end of the game in his last 2 games, Using Illarra, Khedira, and even youth team starlet Medran in midfield on some occasions. It is clear that Ancelotti is very much aware and wary of the aspect of fatigue as the team is showing, little by little, some signs of it which is concerning when you remember it is still December. In the end one must remember that Ancelotti was the only one in the capital seemingly that stayed calm after the back-to-back defeats to Sociedad and Atletico, after which Real Madrid embarked in their historic 18-match winning run. So Madridistas should learn to trust in the Italian ‘mister’ as he has proved time and time again that he will prevail, and with him the team will flourish even more.