SPANISH LA LIGA: Real out to break club record at Malaga
Real Madrid’s coach Carlo Ancelotti (R) speaks to Cristiano Ronaldo during their midweek clash. Photo by AFP
What you need to know:
Luis Enrique’s side head into the 13th round of fixtures two points adrift of leaders Real Madrid at the summit but appear to have emerged from a difficult spell, with Lionel Messi predictably to the fore
Leaders Real Madrid can set a new club record of 16 consecutive victories in all competitions when they visit Malaga today. Wednesday’s 1-0 UEFA Champions League win over Basel was their 15th successive triumph, with Cristiano Ronaldo netting his 26th goal of the campaign to seal top spot in Group B.
Real have twice achieved 15 straight wins in the past - in the 1960-61 season under Miguel Munoz and in 2011-12 when Jose Mourinho was at the helm.
And three points at La Rosaleda would give the bulk of Carlo Ancelotti’s team that claimed La Decima - a 10th European title - in May another prestigious entry into Real’s catalogue of phenomenal achievements.
Javi Gracia’s Malaga were enjoying a purple patch of their own, five consecutive La Liga wins having fired them up the standings, before Real’s city rivals Atletico Madrid beat them 3-1 in the capital last weekend - a game that saw both team finish with 10 men as Samuel and Gabi each collected a pair of bookings.
Atletico captain Gabi will therefore be missing when the champions host lowly Deportivo La Coruna in tomorrow’s early kick-off. Second-placed Barcelona, meanwhile, are set for a stern examination of their Liga title ambitions when they travel to a stuttering Valencia. Luis Enrique’s side head into the 13th round of fixtures two points adrift of leaders Real Madrid at the summit but appear to have emerged from a difficult spell, with Lionel Messi predictably to the fore.
