Real Madrid worried about tough-looking calendar: We'll be a broken team

Real Madrid have expressed their concern about the gruelling schedule coming up after the international break, as they are worried about the physical toll it will take on their players.

Los Blancos' trip to Granada on Sunday will be the first of seven games in four weeks before Christmas, with everything at stake in LaLiga Santander, where they are currently second, and the Champions League, where they top the group but have little margin for error.

A season-defining run of games with barely time to catch their breath in between, including huge clashes with Sevilla, Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid and Inter.

"We'll be quite a broken team due to the devastating calendar," said a source at Real Madrid.

It is clearly a tricky patch in the season and it could get even worse for Real Madrid if LaLiga decide to schedule their postponed match against Athletic Club on December 1 - in between the games against Sevilla and La Real - which may not be likely but remains a possibility.

Carlo Ancelotti and his staff are preparing for a busy month and they have been using the international break to plan ahead, because once the players are back there will hardly be time to think until the Christmas break.

Pintus' moment

With managing players' conditioning especially crucial in a spell like this, it is fitness coach Antonio Pintus' time to shine.

The focus of sessions in the coming weeks will be recovery for the next game and avoiding injuries, as any slight setback could see a player miss several games.

Currently, Real Madrid are missing five players with injury. Dani Ceballos is out of action for the time being, while Gareth Bale is injured yet again, but the focus will be on getting Fede Valverde, Rodrygo Goes and Mariano Diaz back in contention as soon as possible, which would give Ancelotti 23 players to take on these seven or eight games in four weeks.

Champions League the priority

Things are tight at the top of LaLiga Santander, with Real Madrid four points ahead of Atleti but level with Sevilla and one behind La Real. That said, the Champions League is the short-term priority as there is even less room for error.

A win against Sheriff in their next European game would book their passage to the last 16, taking some of the pressure off the final game against Inter.

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