Real Madrid director Emilio Butragueno says there is "no place for complacency" as Los Blancos begin 2017 looking to keep their club record unbeaten run going at home to Sevilla in the Copa del Rey.
Madrid finished 2016 by lifting the Club World Cup in Japan, with Zinedine Zidane's side stretching their run without defeat in all competitions to 37 games, while they were also able to enjoy the winter break with a three-point lead at the top of La Liga with a game in hand over second-placed Barcelona.
Fans and pundits are, however, aware of the precedent from two years ago when Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid side were similarly well placed coming back in January, but lost their first two games and then finished the 2014-15 campaign with no major silverware leading to the coach being dismissed.
Speaking at an event organised by Madrid's charitable foundation, which was also attended by Zidane and the captains of the club's football and basketball teams, Butragueno said the aim for the New Year was not to let their performances drop and keep on winning games.
"What better place to start the New Year than at the Santiago Bernabeu [against Sevilla on Wednesday]," Butragueno said. "It is a magic place, where dreams come true. At Real Madrid there is no place for complacency, we want more victories and trophies."
Zidane will have to reshuffle his side for the visit of in-form Sevilla, with Sergio Ramos, Lucas Vazquez and Mateo Kovacic having returned from the winter break nursing new injuries and Gareth Bale still sidelined.
The club released a fitness update after the players' first training session of 2017 which confirmed that there were no new worries after the New Years' celebrations.
"Real Madrid completed their first training session of the year as they continued to prepare for the first leg of the Copa del Rey round-of-16 match which sees the Whites take on Sevilla on Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabeu [Jan. 4, 9:15 p.m. CET]," the statement read.
"Ball work at high intensity was the main focus of the session which also saw Sergio Ramos out running alone on the pitch. Zidane called up Real Madrid Castilla players Enzo [Zidane] and [Martin] Odegaard for a session in which the Whites carried out different possession and pressing exercises, ball circulation leading to crossing and finishing and several games in small spaces. Bale, Lucas Vazquez and Kovacic continue their recovery processes."