Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid are closing in on a club record as they prepare to take on struggling Gra-nada looking to make it 11 successive wins in all competitions.
If, as expected, Madrid do beat a Granada team that have taken just one point from their last five games, Ancelotti’s men would move to within four wins of equalling a record that has only been achieved twice in the Spanish giants’ storied history.
Miguel Munoz’s side first set the mark of 15 consecutive wins back in the 1960/61 season before Jose Mourinho’s team matched it during the 2011/12 campaign.
The current Madrid group certainly have every chance of breaking that record, though, as their next six matches are against Granada, Rayo Vallecano, Eibar and Malaga in the league, while facing Liverpool and Basle – who they have already beaten 3-0 and 5-1 respectively this season – in the Champions League.
Goalkeeper Iker Casillas acknowledges things are going very well for the European champions now after a poor start to the season, saying at a promotional event: “The direction the team is going in is what we wanted from the off.
“Our aim is to get to March or April as best as we can, as that is the period when almost all of the competitions are decided, as well as being 100 per cent day to day.
“Once again we have a tough year ahead of us as it will be difficult to top last season. But we have the players to do it and our group dynamic is great.
“We are on the right track to progressing to the next round in the Copa del Rey and we still have to seal our place in the last-16 in the Champions League, which we are very close to doing.
“Then we have the Club World Cup, which we think could be the icing on the cake for 2014.”
Real, who are averaging over four goals per game during their winning run, ended Barcelona’s unbeaten start last Saturday and they could replace their arch-rivals at the top of the table if results go their way this weekend.
Barcelona face a potential banana skin at home to sixth-placed Celta Vigo, where Lionel Messi should get another crack at breaking the all-time La Liga scoring record.
The match could also see Luis Suarez make his competitive home bow for Barca, having made his debut in the Clasico against Madrid just hours after his four-month ban for biting expired.
Level on 22 points with Barcelona are Sevilla, who have built on their Europa League triumph in May with a brilliant start to the season.
Sevilla face stuttering Athletic Bilbao at San Mames in tomorrow’s early kick-off.
In a congested top of the table, fourth-placed Valencia make the short trip to Villarreal while defending champions Atletico Madrid host Cordoba, the only La Liga side yet to record a win.