COMMENT: Player crisis talks, a locker room revolt and sack talk; it's not exactly been a smooth preparation for Rafa Benitez going into the El Clasico.
Sunday, it all kicked off with reports of Cristiano Ronaldo complaining to Florentino Perez, the Real Madrid president, that they "won't win anything" with Benitez as coach.
Then, Monday evening, it broke that Benitez had met with the senior leadership group, including Ronaldo and captain Sergio Ramos, unhappy with his tactics and system, pleading with the coach to play a more expansive game.
And today, just over 24 hours from kickoff against Barcelona, the Madrid press is full of reports that Benitez won't survive a heavy defeat at home. Perez already has Zinedine Zidane and Victor Fernandez ready to step in. The story goes, Benitez has lost the dressing room - and if he loses on Saturday, he'll be out on his ear.
And this isn't to mention the previous week's events. Defeat at Sevilla. Players on the bench overhearing Benitez complaining about their teammates. Karim Benzema's arrest and release by French police. And Ronaldo's film premiere in London - with no Real official or teammate in sight. From the outside looking in, it's not exactly a united camp at Valdebebas.
But Benitez took this job with his eyes wide open. He knew what he was getting himself into - Perez warned him as much when they first met to discuss his appointment. And tribalfootball.com has been informed that whatever the result on Saturday, Rafa is safe.
The coach still has the president's full support. The football can be better, sources tell us, but Benitez is doing the job he was hired to do. Perez, after the dismissal of Carlo Ancelotti, wanted someone who would not stand for cliques in the dressing room, nor players, no matter their status, getting above their station. Benitez, as Steven Gerrard will attest, doesn't do mollycoddling. It may put the players offside, but like Benitez, Perez knew exactly what he was getting when hiring the former Liverpool manager.
No matter which way you slice it, this is the long goodbye for Cristiano Ronaldo. He WILL leave Real Madrid in 2016. It's unlikely to be in January, but this cannot be ruled out. We've been told the relationship between Ronaldo and the club has never been so low. His celebrated film premiere in London was symbolic of where the two parties now stand.
In London, he was embraced by former teammates, rivals and managers. Even Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, made it to the gala. The pair were at eachother's throats in the final weeks of Mourinho's time at Real. But the Special One was a very welcome guest on the night.
Conspicuous in their absence was anyone from Real. No teammates. No coaching staff. Certainly not Benitez. And no representative from the board - including Perez. The relationship is in its last throws. Ronaldo and Real are over.
Which will make Saturday absolutely fascinating.
One Real teammate recently declared CR7 "an open book". In other words, Ronaldo is very easy to read. He doesn't hide his emotions. If he's unhappy - the Portuguese let's the world know about it. And the world will be watching on Saturday night. There'll be no need to second guess Ronaldo's emotions over the 90 minutes. He'll let us know how he's feeling as the game rolls on.
This is why Perez turned to Benitez in the summer - to oversee the departure of Ronaldo and the transition to Gareth Bale. But Ronaldo won't be the only big name leaving Real next year.
The president has had enough of Karim Benzema. Perez has supported the Frenchman through a series of off-the-field controversies, but his involvement in an alleged blackmail plot is the final straw.
Perez believes in the player's innocence. His statement of support after Benzema's arrest was no routine media release. But to see a Real Madrid player not only arrested, but spending half a day in jail? It's unheard of and for Perez, unacceptable.
Benzema hasn't played since breaking down in action for France against Armenia on October 8. But he did train yesterday and is a good chance to make the matchday squad on Saturday. But like Ronaldo, we are likely to be seeing the final stages of Benzema's career at Real.
As for the football, Perez and his board are willing to tolerate it - so long as they're winning. It's significant that Real's two most consistent players this season have been Casemiro, in defensive midfield, and the outstanding Keylor Navas, between the posts.
But for all spot fires smouldering around the club - victory on Saturday will see Real back at the top of the table. If Navas, at the end of the 90 minutes, is again man-of-the-match and Real have the three points, the president will be pleased - and Benitez will have done his job.
It doesn't matter how loud Benitez's critics become - in or outside the club - the job is his so long as he sticks to what he and Perez agreed way back at the end of last season. Win on the pitch - and rattle some cages off it.
There's only room for one leader at Real Madrid. And he sits in the boardroom.
