Real Madrid: One year with no defeat at the Bernabeu Stadium

The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium has become 'holy ground'. This Friday marks the first anniversary of the last defeat of Real Madrid playing at home. It was on January 18, 2012 against Barcelona, 1-2, goals from Puyol and Abidal, in the first leg of the quarterfinal round of the Spanish Cup's last season (Copa del Rey).

Real Madrid team celebrating a goal with the fans

Since then, 30 games, with 24 competitors, 20 League games, 6 European games, 3 Spanish Cup games and 1 fighting for the Spanish SuperCup. The numbers are welcomed in the 'White House' and is a warning for the next rivals. That's 25 wins and 5 draws. Draws against Malaga, Valencia (twice), Borussia Dortmund and Espanyol.

The scoring data is very good but the team has to improve the goals against numbers. 95 goals for scored by Real Madrid, at an average of three per game (3.1). Real Madrid fans have enjoied a lot this year, it is clear, but the goal of Casillas and Adan has received nearly one goal against per game (0.86).

In the scoring aspect, Cristiano Ronaldo gets all the honors. The Portuguese has showed his nails to celebrate goals 35 times in those 30 games. He has scored in 22 of those matches, leaving his bag empty only eight times. The last, in the Spanish Cup match against Valencia. He managed 7 braces and 3 hat-tricks.

Valencia is the team that has visited more the Castellana stadium in the last 12 months and has not gone quite badly in its three visits. Two draws in League matches and defeat last Tuesday. About Barcelona, a visit, a defeat. Real Madrid achieved the Spanish SuperCup title that match.

To find a precedent for this strength (at home) we must go back to 1996. Since the end of the 95-96 season to the start of the 97-98, the Bernabeu stadium did not see a defeat of the white team in 33 matches. The bulk of that good record includes a Capello season managing Real Madrid (96-97), in which Real Madrid was the Spanish League Champion.

They were 27 wins and 6 draws. Barcelona stopped the streak with a 2-3. Between 2001 and 2002 the Bernabeu also lived another 'invictus' episode. But the streak ended in a traumatic game. In the 27th game, the Spanish Cup final at the Bernabeu, Deportivo La Coruña defeated Real Madrid. It was on March 6, 2002. Real Madrid turned 100 years old that day.