All I want for Christmas...

...is to win at home, as Capello (and those fans paying exorbitant prices to watch Real at the Bernabéu) might say. With a 4-2-2 record at home, as compared with a 6-2-0 record away, and five points adrift of leaders Sevilla, Real Madrid goes into the Christmas mini-break pondering the cost of those six points dropped at home.

Match day had been marred by news of the tragic road accident which claimed the lives of three Recreativo supporters, as well as the driver of the bus carrying them to Madrid. Controversially, the RFEF (Spanish FA) decided that the game should be played, despite the requests from the Recreativo president for a postponement and the support of Real Madrid and the League in this matter. The atmosphere was subdued at first, and the planned tribute to Cannavaro for his recent FIFA World Player of the Year award was cancelled. Despite, or perhaps because of this, Recreativo won their first ever game at the Bernabéu in style with goals either side of the break and a final flourish just before the finish. Cannavaro was whistled off the pitch as the fans blamed him for the mistakes that cost Real the first two goals.

To be fair, although this was no Getafe, it was not far off, and there was very little to cheer from any of the Real Madrid players on the pitch. Perhaps, like millions of workers around the World, their mind was more on the upcoming Christmas break than on the game taking place around them. Capello will need to think long and hard over the next two weeks about how to re-motivate his squad, because a loss of confidence and desire will make winning the League very difficult indeed.