Spanish leaders Real Madrid will be looking for their 11th straight win in La Liga on Saturday, at home to midtable Celta Vigo.
Everything has gone right for the Whites since September, and a defeat of Celta would be their 17th straight victory in all competitions.
No wonder, then, that president Florentino Perez is keen to extend the contract of coach Carlo Ancelotti, which expires in 2015.
"Ancelotti is the most successful and popular coach at the club for many years, probably since Vicente del Bosque (1999 to 2003)," commented Radio Marca.
"Everyone seems to like him: players, directors, fans. Very rarely has this been the case with the coach at Real."
Echoing thse sentiments on Wednesday was defender Sergio Ramos, who said: "I hope he stays with us for a very long time, because his project here seems to have a good future.
"This good run of ours is down to collective hard work, but it is clear who is our leader. Words just can't express how important Ancelotti is for us.
"He is really in command of the dressing-room, he knows how to get the best out of every player."
The Real midfield will be without the suspended Isco and the injured Luka Modric, while Celta are without Chilean playmaker Fabian Orellana.
Real are two points above second-placed Barcelona, who will host crosstown rivals Espanyol on Sunday, with veteran Andres Iniesta finally fit again.
Barca warmed up for the derby with a pleasant 4-0 cup win at third division Huesca on Wednesday, while Espanyol won 2-0 at Alaves on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, third-placed Atletico Madrid will visit lowly Elche, without suspended captain Gabi.
Atletico have endured a turbulent week after Sunday's appalling pre-match fracas before the clash with Deportivo La Coruna, in which a Deportivo fan died after being stabbed and thrown into the Manzanares river.
Atletico president Enrique Cerezo said on Wednesday that the club will clamp down harshly on the Frente Atletico hooligan group, which is believed to be responsible for the killing.
All clubs have claimed this week that they will expel their violent hooligan elements, amid a wave of repulsion across Spain after the dreadful incidents in Madrid.
There will be extra police presence at every match this weekend, the interior ministry has said, and travelling fans will be especially controlled.
Sevilla, who are fourth, visit Rayo Vallecano and fifth-placed Valencia take on Granada.
The weekend's other games are Atletic Bilbao v Cordoba, Deportivo La Coruna v Malaga, Villarreal v Real Sociedad, Eibar v Almeria and Levante v Getafe.
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