Real Madrid Eyes a Perfect League Season Against Espanyol

In their perpetual quest for new challenges, Real Madrid faces an enticing one this Saturday. The Whites have not bowed in La Liga since September 24, 2023, when Atlético honored their aviator past to defeat the Chamartín team by conquering the skies at the Metropolitano. Thirty-seven matchdays have passed since then, and Carlo Ancelotti's troops remain unbeaten. Against an Espanyol team that is one win away from becoming the seventh team to surpass a thousand victories in the top flight, the reigning champions have the chance to complete an entire flawless league season and are ready to seize it with a rock 'n' roll spirit that Carletto openly blesses.

"I see my fans delighted with what we are doing. Sometimes we can play better, but Real Madrid fans are used to seeing more rock 'n' roll football, not many touches. We try to make Madrid fans happy, who prefer winning over playing well. Ideally, we would win and play well. For me, against Stuttgart, we sometimes made fantastic plays," said the always pragmatic Ancelotti in the pre-match conference, who perfectly understands the idiosyncrasies of a team that deals with criticism stemming from lackluster play when expectations were sky-high after signing Mbappé and Endrick.

"We have never peaked in September, but so far we are quite good," cut off the Reggiolo coach, unconcerned about identity debates as Real Madrid's nature is to pursue victory without considering style. "Beautiful football has many facets," defended the Italian, determined to forge a style for his squad that is "entertaining, vertical, intense, with rhythm and without wasting too much time reaching the opponent's goal." Direct football, in short, that Real Madrid aims to showcase this Saturday at Santiago Bernabéu where they can match the second-best unbeaten streak in league history.

This streak belongs to that Real Sociedad which remained unbeaten for 38 matches between January 1, 1978, when they defeated Valencia at Estadio Luis Casanova with a solitary goal by Diego Álvarez, and May 11, 1980, when a double by Argentine Daniel Bertoni allowed Sevilla to halt what was then a historic record for the Gipuzkoan team. The absolute record is held by Barça, who went 43 league matches unbeaten between April 15, 2017, and May 13, 2018. Thus, Barça's record could fall on matchday twelve of this season when Real Madrid visits Mestalla. However, Ancelotti's men must first overcome numerous traps.

Espanyol intends to pose one of those traps as they haven't won at Bernabéu since 1996 when a double by Jordi Lardín served to defeat a Real Madrid that ended up out of European competitions after a campaign that began with Jorge Valdano on the bench and ended with Arsenio Iglesias at the helm. However, they arrive at the merengue coliseum full of morale after two consecutive wins against Rayo and Alavés and previously managed to draw at Metropolitano.

An excellent calling card for a newly promoted but historic club as evidenced by those 999 victories in the top flight that have Espanyol on the brink of surpassing a milestone only achieved by Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético, Athletic, Valencia, and Sevilla in Spanish football. Although overcoming that barrier this Saturday at Bernabéu seems like a pipe dream considering Espanyol has only conquered the White fortress four out of 88 times in La Liga visits. Manolo García's men, with an especially in-form Puado and Joan García attracting many glances under the posts, do not renounce springing a surprise.

Real Madrid: Courtois, Carvajal, Militao, Rüdiger, Fran García, Valverde, Tchouaméni, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Mbappé y Vinicius.

Espanyol: Joan García, Tejero, El Hilali, Kumbulla, Cabrera, Romero, Aguado, Král, Jofre, Puado y Véliz.

Referee: Munuera Montero (Andalusian Committee).

Time: 21:00 h.

Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu.

TV: Movistar LaLiga.