At the beginning of April, Carlo Ancelotti ominously warned: “The pan is on the proper temperature once more.”

After advancing previous Barcelona within the Copa del Rey semi-finals that month, Real Madrid duly collected their third trophy of the season by beating Osasuna within the competitors’s showpiece final weekend.

Up towards Manchester City, Madrid continued to sizzle however Kevin De Bruyne fired the guests degree earlier than the flame may morph right into a roaring blaze.

Here’s how Madrid have fared behind the range in latest weeks and what stays for the remainder of the season.

After a galling 2-1 reverse at Camp Nou earlier than the March worldwide break, the hole as much as Barcelona in La Liga has solely widened, with Madrid shedding their final two away league video games to Girona and Real Sociedad, conceding six objectives within the course of – Madrid had solely shipped 5 objectives throughout their earlier eight away league video games.

Goals – at each ends – have been a characteristic of Madrid’s latest run, with Los Blancos watchers handled to 19 throughout their earlier 5 matches (9 for, ten towards). City, nonetheless, halted Madrid’s four-game profitable run at dwelling with Tuesday’s hard-fought draw.

Getafe vs Real Madrid – La Liga

Madrid face metropolis rivals Getafe sandwiched between the two-legged Champions League semi-final with Manchester City. The geographic proximity between the 2 golf equipment concocts its personal enmity however the fixture has been spiced up by the return of Jose Bordalas to Getafe’s dugout.

In a determined bid to climb out of the relegation zone, Getafe have referred to as upon the coach that led them into the Europa League as not too long ago as 2020. Bordalas could also be an notorious knowledgeable of the darkish arts however he would not possess any data of what beating Real Madrid seems like – in ten profession conferences with Los Blancos, Bordalas has misplaced eight and drawn two.

Manchester City vs Real Madrid – Champions League

Ancelotti has travelled to the Etihad Stadium on 5 separate events throughout the final decade and a half, shedding each time whereas conceding 14 objectives within the course of.

Admittedly, two of these visits had been throughout the fever-dream stretch he spent with Everton. With the likes of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos at his disposal somewhat than Allan and Tom Davies, Ancelotti has a considerably higher likelihood of ending his Etihad hoodoo.

Valencia vs Real Madrid – La Liga

The first Champions League ultimate of the twenty first century was contested between Valencia and Real Madrid. Two many years into the millennium, one in all these establishments of Spanish soccer might be making ready for an additional European showpiece whereas the opposite fights off relegation.

With 5 video games to go, Valencia are degree on factors with 18th-placed Getafe however sit narrowly outdoors the relegation zone by advantage of a superior head-to-head file with the capital membership. Can they get one other optimistic consequence towards a Madrid-based facet on 21 May?

Real Madrid vs Rayo Vallecano – La Liga

Deep into the evening of Thursday 25 May, Madrid host a Rayo Vallecano facet that has repeatedly confirmed able to bloodying the nostril of La Liga’s elite.

Andoni Iraola’s wily outfit have taken 4 factors off La Liga champions-elect Barcelona this season (greater than Madrid) and earned a 3-2 victory towards Los Blancos in November. That match additionally featured one of the best shot of the season in Spain, as Real’s Fede Valverde blasted the ball into one of many residences overlooking Rayo’s stadium.

Sevilla vs Real Madrid – La Liga

The solely two groups to qualify for European semi-finals this season have each fallen in need of their La Liga targets. While Madrid contested the primary leg of their semi sitting third domestically, Sevilla have solely hauled themselves out of the relegation battle since Jose Luis Mendilibar took over.

Mendilibar has misplaced his final six matches towards Real Madrid, seeing his usually parsimonious sides concede at the least two objectives on every outing. However, he has by no means had a squad as completed as the present Sevilla setup.

Real Madrid vs Athletic Club – La Liga

Real Madrid’s rivalry with Barcelona has been endlessly mentioned however the shared enmity with Athletic Club bubbles away below the floor of every assembly between the grand previous institutions.

Two of the one three ever-presents within the historical past of La Liga (together with Barcelona) first met within the ultimate of the 1903 Copa del Rey. 120 years later, they meet on the ultimate day of the season.