Real Madrid could find themselves with only the Copa del Rey to pursue in the months of April and May, should they suffer two bad defeats in the Champions League and El Clasico. It is shaping up to be decisive in the future of their manager Carlo Ancelotti.
There has been a steady trickle of reports of disquiet in Madrid of late, with the Italian being questioned over results and decisions. Ahead of their victory against Espanyol at the weekend, Ancelotti claimed he was paying no attention to them, and that they were a regular occurrence for him.
Yet MD say that a bad week could see him sacked in the summer. If Los Blancos were to chuck away a three-goal lead (5-2) against Liverpool in midweek, then that would put Ancelotti under serious pressure.
It appears that the only way for Real Madrid to stay in the title race would be to beat Barcelona at Camp Nou next Sunday too, as the international break approaches. Defeat in both would leave Ancelotti ‘sentenced’.
The likelihood is that even defeat against Barcelona would keep Ancelotti in a precarious position. With the Copa del Rey and the Champions League still to be decided thereafter, perhaps he could salvage a season if they were to be runners-up to Barcelona, but Florentino Perez is not known for his patience if Los Blancos do miss out on the three biggest trophies of the season.