1. The Open Thread/Daily Merengue is a place where you can discuss anything and everything related to football.
2. The Open Thread is posted every day by one of the mods, Valyrian Steel, Felipejack, Kung_Fu_Zizou (AKA KFZ), Juninho, or yours truly.
3 The author of the article is going into the next international break with their heads held high, given that Real Madrid are top-of-the-table in their competitions.
4. The author is inviting readers to discuss the article and their thoughts on international breaks in the Open Thread.
5. The author's opinion is that international breaks don't help Real Madrid, because they disrupt the team's momentum.