Real Madrid currently sit in second place in LaLiga, just one point behind leaders Real Sociedad with an additional game in hand. They are tied with Sevilla on points, but they have one more goal to the good in the differential column. If you throw in fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, there are currently four legitimate contenders in LaLiga, all of whom have lost just once.
Los Blancos will come out of this November “break” with some massive fixtures in the league ahead. Real Madrid have not played any of these three teams yet in the league, and they still have another Champions League fixture against reigning Serie A champions Inter Milan. And after the reverse fixture, they won’t be sleeping on Sheriff either.
Though Los Blancos still have some work to do, they will come out of the November break in a good position. Right now, they are the best team in the league, for all of their flaws. They have the highest goal differential and are tied with Sevilla for the most points per match.
With the international fixtures set to begin, let’s take a look at the biggest positive and the biggest negative for Real Madrid at this point in the season with 12 matches played.
Biggest negative: Upcoming fatigue and injuries amidst a hellacious schedule
Real Madrid know a thing or two about navigating choppy waters. They were able to make the Champions League semifinals and remain in the title hunt until the very last day last season, in spite of the fact that they had more than 60 injuries and absences during the season.
Carlo Ancelotti will have to stand tall against a similar test. Already, we have seen key injuries and absences to the likes of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal, Rodrygo Goes, Ferland Mendy, Casemiro, Fede Valverde, and Karim Benzema. For the sake of space, I cannot name everyone.
I cannot emphasize enough that things will only get more difficult. The fixtures add up. There are the international matches, which prevent players from getting a break. Previously, Karim Benzema could count on these weeks to relax. Now, he is an important player for the World Cup-hungry French national team. We are already seeing signs of fatigue from the world-class No. 9.
Carvajal, too, will face further stress now that he is back with the Spanish national team. Modric is another experienced player who must worry about juggling national team duties, and he is recovering from an illness right now.
Next up, Real Madrid face Inter and the three other LaLiga title contenders (La Real, Sevilla, and Atleti) all in a row, after already having to face two potentially tricky opponents in Sheriff and Granada.
The season is grueling, and right after the break, a Real team that still has questions left to answer will be immediately put to the test.
Positive: Real Madrid have another star they can lean on besides Benzema
Karim Benzema is a Ballon d’Or candidate for a reason. He is the most well-rounded attacking player on the planet and as important to Los Blancos as he ever was. These past three seasons have enabled Benz to reach new heights. Recently, he has been slowing down a bit due to fatigue and some knocks, but he is still having a sensational season with 10 goals and 7 assists in the league.
But Benzema no longer has to carry the team on his shoulders on his own. There is now another legitimate superstar player up front who can produce or create goals from nothing. That player is Vinicius Junior, who has truly broken out in his fourth season with Los Blancos.
Vini has seven goals and two assists of his own in LaLiga. Like Benzema, he has five total goal contributions in four Champions League starts. More than the goals and assists, Vini is a constant threat for defenses and an outlet of ball-carrying, chance-creation, and chaos. He is the most dangerous player in the world with the ball at his feet, even making near-goals look beautiful.
Thanks to Vinicius, Benzema can rest. And as we saw against the likes of Rayo Vallecano, Elche and Shakhtar Donetsk, Vinicius is fully capable of elevating Real Madrid when they aren’t at their best and need a hero to deliver them three points. A club like this one needs multiple players who can do this in the attack. Vinicius’ emergence as that kind of man for the job is undoubtedly a positive worth underscoring again and again.