Spanish Debate: Real Madrid's New Year Blues

Real Madrid aren't in crisis. They're still top of the table, still in Europe, still in the Copa, and are licking their lips at the prospect of thumping Levante at the weekend.

But that does not mean that everything at the Bernabeu is perfect. Instead, fans will already be aware of a hint of the blues seeping into proceedings in the capital.

The nougat, champagne and ham have been put back in the fridge for another twelve months, but there are hints of a New Year hangover on the pitch already. The blancos only managed to sneak past Alicante in the Cup; the Liga comeback win against Zaragoza was perhaps ill-deserved; and a 2-1 Copa defeat at Mallorca on Thursday was far from ideal.

Admittedly, the Mallorca defeat was only a first-leg contest, and was borne partially of team rotation - in that sense, it can hardly be called disastrous. But as we enter the new year, perhaps something has changed since last.

That fine Clasico victory at Camp Nou is largely forgotten as the difficulties of the second half of the season take over. And the chief challenge is perhaps one of squad competition.

The team that started against Mallorca contained some unusual faces, but it may in fact begin to look more normal as winter progresses. Mamadou Diarra is off to the African Cup of Nations, leaving Gago as the de facto first-choice for central midfield. However, unless the young Argentine can recapture his form, Madrid will be largely bereft of Schuster's trump card - that defensive midfield solidity.

Without Diarra, the midfield could indeed leave the back line exposed. Gago, Sneijder and Baptista could marshall the middle of the park - or Guti could step in for the Dutchman. Either way, it's an attack-minded setup. (Raul and Robinho, meanwhile, have done better further up than they did against Mallorca.)

The back line hasn't been looking too clever of late, either. Again, the side was rotated for Mallorca, but Pepe and an out-of-position Sergio Ramos still lined up in the middle - it was hardly rookie stuff. That Jerzy Dudek only let in two was quite a surprise as the Pole impressed in a rare appearance.

Above all, the problem was one of lethargy, and it could be argued that this is only going to get worse. Fixture congestion is nigh-on unavoidable right now - nine games in four weeks is the plan for January, while the Roma encounter in the Champions League will make it around 15 in 7. That's not easy for any side, and with the likes of Sergio Ramos having played integral, almost ironman roles already in the early part of the season, another five months of non-stop action will doubtless take its toll.

Some players have already succumbed to injury, fatigue, or both. Arjen Robben needs no introduction in this regard, but the likes of Christoph Metzelder, Pepe, and Gabriel Heinze are - with varying levels of severity - struggling to keep themselves injury-free. That's a worry, given that Madrid's strength is in the constancy of its first eleven.

But there are bright spots. Chief among them is that Madrid, of course, played badly against Zaragoza but still won. If they can keep that relatively strong XI together, then that's the kind of result that they are always capable of.

Also, main title challengers Barcelona are, just like Madrid, fighting on three fronts, and virtually everyone who will have a say in the top four this season has at least two competitions to focus on at present: fixture congestion is not peculiar to the Bernabeu.

And although there is talk of the treble, one cannot help but suspect that few at Madrid would cry themselves to sleep if they were to be eliminated from the Copa in this round or the next. Schuster will almost certainly rotate his side again for the second leg, even though his team are chasing a result, and elimination is thus possible. But that would mean fewer matches, full weeks of training, and - above all - an avoidance of injury and tiredness ahead of the Champions League.

One cannot seriously imply that Real Madrid are destined to throw it all away. But let's not forget that both Sevilla and Barcelona surrendered table-topping leads last season during times of fixture congestion and squad changes, and that Barcelona's little travails around the turn of 2007 were dismissed as minor. Perhaps they were, but such problems can snowball quickly. (Just look at Valencia this season.)

As long as Bernd Schuster is aware of the dangers to come, then Madrid will most likely come through unscathed. But it could be a harsh winter in Castilla nonetheless.