Just 11 weeks ago, the alarm bells were ringing around the Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid headed into the new season on the crest of a wave thanks to securing a dramatic 10th European Cup in Lisbon, but that wave came crashing back down on them in the first month of the season.
After two defeats from their opening three matches -- and just one win in five after losing the Spanish Super Cup to neighbours Atletico Madrid -- a disaster was unfolding.
Angel Di Maria, the man of the match from that Champions League final, had moved on, and Xabi Alonso, a crucial cog in the team for a number of years, had followed him out of the door. Panic stations had formed; questions were being asked over team selection, tactics and transfer policy. Talisman Cristiano Ronaldo was being linked with a move back to Manchester United. Real Madrid were in a mess, and the season was only a matter of weeks old.
Fast-forward, and those early defeats and problems were seemingly the best thing that could have happened to the European champions. Since then, manager Carlo Ancelotti has guided his side to a club-record run of victories -- 16 in all competitions -- and they have scored 59 goals and conceded just nine. Madrid's winning streak started in their European opener, a 5-1 thrashing of Basel, and since then they have not looked back.
A hard-fought 2-1 victory at Malaga on Saturday night etched Ancelotti's name into Madrid's record books again. The Italian wants to be known more than just the man who guided the club to their much-sought-after Decima, and although he understandably played down the potential record before the trip to La Rosaleda, he called the run "a dream" after the match. There may have been some choppy waters at the start of the season, but Ancelotti has been the perfect captain to steer the ship to calmer seas.
The former Paris St-Germain, Chelsea and AC Milan manager has been quick to direct all the praise at his players, saying he is fortunate to coach such a gifted set of stars. While that may be true thanks to the millions spent by president Florentino Perez on his current "Galacticos," it takes a special manager to look after those stars and turn them into a consistent winning machine, especially at a club such as Real Madrid.
If anything, Ancelotti should garner much of the plaudits. The 55-year-old, nicknamed the "Peacemaker" by the Spanish media after three years under Jose Mourinho, has been dealt some tricky cards in the opening months of this campaign. The departures of Di Maria and Alonso forced him to again search for the balance in his team that took months to find last season. His decision to bring Iker Casillas back into the first team was a controversial one but one by which he can feel vindicated.
Sticking by a confidence-sapped Karim Benzema has paid off in emphatic fashion, and his management of Isco, a player on the edge of Madrid's first team but whose performances have deserved more, has been commendable, even if he was helped by injuries to Gareth Bale and Luka Modric.
Ancelotti is a manager who fits Real Madrid like a glove. His tactical knowledge, experience and man-management are second-to-none, his temperament is exactly what the club wants and he is content with the sometimes-tricky party line Madrid managers have to tow. The talk is already of offering him a one-year extension to his current contract, and Madrid should not have to think twice about sealing the deal.
Saturday night's success in Malaga, thanks to goals from Benzema and Bale and two Ronaldo assists, saw Ancelotti surpass a club record that had been jointly held by Miguel Munoz from the 1960-61 season and Mourinho in 2011-12. The only difference is the streak by Munoz was all La Liga matches, another target Ancelotti will be out to break in the coming weeks. Mourinho's included 10 in the league and five in the Champions League, while the Italian oversaw 10 in La Liga, five in the Champions League and one in the Copa del Rey.
Not only have Madrid showcased their undoubted individual talents, they have come together to play as a devastating team. Ronaldo may be the player to shine thanks to his 26 goals in all competitions so far this season, but that has come with some help from his close relationship with his manager. Ancelotti has rotated his squad perfectly and has his team mirroring his own personality on the sideline, with class, quality and calmness.
Madrid show no signs of slowing down. On Tuesday night they have a comfortable match to extend their winning streak to 17 matches when third-tier Cornella visit the Spanish capital for the second leg of their Copa del Rey clash.
Celta Vigo had looked a tricky test a few weeks ago, but their back-to-back defeats to mid-table Rayo Vallecano and Eibar mean confidence will not be high when the Galicians roll into town next weekend. Ludogorets have been better than most expected in Europe, but Madrid should have few problems in seeing them off on home soil, and a trip to Almeria brings their league campaign to a close before Madrid travel to Morocco for the Club World Cup.
There is every chance Madrid's current streak could extend to 22 victories and span almost four months ahead of their next big test against Valencia in the Mestalla on Jan. 4. Nuno Espirito Santo's side have been flying for the most part of this season, and they will be eager to return to action after the winter break with a big victory over big opposition.
The winning run is expected to last a little longer, at least for Madrid fans. After that 2-1 home defeat against Atletico in September, Ancelotti said he would "sort things out," and he has kept his word. Madrid has been a winning machine, and there is currently little sign of the oil running out just yet.