Mid-season report: Real Madrid

Real Madrid are already playing catch-up in La Liga after 17 matches, with Los Blancos currently sitting third in the table, five points behind joint-leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Carlo Ancelotti's side have won 13 of their La Liga fixtures this season, but can ill afford any more slip-ups if they are to regain the Spanish crown in 2014.

Champions League and Copa del Rey qualification have both been secured, meanwhile, with the capital outfit having plenty to be pleased about in the 2013-14 campaign thus far.

Here, Sports Mole dissects how Madrid have performed in the first half of the season.

August

Three new players arrived at the Bernabeu in the summer, with Asier Illarramendi and Isco joining world-record signing Gareth Bale at Madrid.

There were to be major outgoings, meanwhile, with Kaka, Gonzalo Higuain, Raul Albiol, Jose Callejon and a certain Mesut Ozil among those allowed to depart by new boss Ancelotti.

Injury and a lack of pre-season meant that the supporters had to wait to see Bale in action, but former Malaga playmaker Isco was a key part of their back-to-back wins over Real Betis and Granada in the league.

There was talk that Cristiano Ronaldo could return to Manchester United before the end of the transfer window, but the Portuguese remained in Madrid as Ancelotti looked to build his team around the forward.

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September

Madrid began the month with a 3-1 win over Athletic Bilbao in the league, before Bale scored on his debut in a 2-2 draw with Villarreal after the international break.

There was also good news off the pitch with Ronaldo penning a new long-term contract with the club, ensuring that talk of a return to Manchester United would be put to bed.

Los Blancos opened their Champions League campaign a stunning 6-1 win over Galatasaray, before they continued their strong league form with back-to-back wins over Getafe and Elche.

There was to be a major set-back at the end of the month, however, with Diego Costa's first-half strike handing Atletico Madrid all three points in their league match at the Bernabeu.

At the end of the month, Madrid sat third in the table, already five points behind Atletico and Barcelona, who were setting a strong early pace in Spain's leading division.

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October

Their Champions League campaign continued with a 4-0 win over Copenhagen at the start of the month, but they needed a stoppage-time winner from Ronaldo to overcome Levante in the league.

Wins over Malaga and Juventus in La Liga and the Champions League respectively continued their solid November form, but they suffered disappointment in the first El Clasico of the season as they lost 2-1 to Barcelona at the Camp Nou.

Bale was heavily criticised in the Spanish press for his performance in that match, but the Welshman scored twice in their next league match as they overcame Sevilla 7-3 in the Spanish capital.

Defensive problems were increasingly apparent, however, while French forward Karim Benzema was also criticised for his perceived lack of effort. That said, the form of Ronaldo and Bale continued to excite the supporters.

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November

Madrid were again made to do it the hard way in their first league game of the month with a narrow 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano, before they continued their unbeaten run in the Champions League with a 2-2 draw away to Juventus.

Ronaldo then scored a stunning hat-trick in their 5-1 thumping of Real Sociedad on November 9, before they hit five once more on the road to Almeria after the international break.

The month ended in positive fashion as they progressed from their Champions League group with a 4-1 win over Galatasaray. Four more goals followed three days later as they thumped Real Valladolid in the league, with Bale scoring his first Madrid hat-trick.

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December

Copa del Rey qualification was secured in December as they overcame Olimpic de Xativa 2-0 on aggregate, while they ended their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 win in Copenhagen.

The draw for the last-16 stage of the European competition followed and Los Blancos were paired with German outfit Schalke 04.

They dropped more points in the league, however, with a 2-2 draw against Osasuna on December 14, but a late strike from Jese secured a 3-2 win over Valencia in their final outing before the winter break.

Ronaldo has struck 27 goals in 21 games for Madrid this season, while the Portuguese is the favourite to claim the Ballon d'Or ahead of Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery next month.

There are concerns, however, over the future of Xabi Alonso, who is out of contract at the end of the season, while Sami Khedira, Angel di Maria and Alvaro Morata have all been linked with moves from Madrid.

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