Just a few weeks ago, Real Madrid were the most dazzling side in Europe as they chased Champions League and La Liga glory. Now, they find themselves in a crisis with boss Carlo Ancelotti under fire, record signing Gareth Bale booed by his own fans and Cristiano Ronaldo taking a vow of silence. Here, Spain-based reporter RIK SHARMA runs through just what has gone wrong at the Bernabeu after Tuesday night's 4-3 defeat at home by Schalke. Gareth Bale was subjected to boos from Real Madrid fans as they were beaten at home by Schalke . Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring, but he couldn't prevent his side slumping to a 4-3 defeat . Carlo Ancelotti, pictured hugging Schalke boss Roberto Di Matteo, is under growing pressure at the Bernabeu . It seems that all is not well at the Santiago Bernabeu... You could say that. In fact, you could say a lot worse, and the Spanish newspapers have. 'What horror!' screamed the front page of Marca. 'The odds of being eliminated by Schalke were comparable to those of being killed by a piano,' said AS, after Madrid scraped into the Champions League quarter finals. The Barcelona papers were no kinder. 'A pitiful Madrid!' spat the front page of Sport, while Mundo Deportivo labelled Carlo Ancelotti's side 'ridiculous'. So, what's the problem? Where do you start? Ancelotti's expensive cruise liner is full of holes and the water is flooding in, just at the wrong time. Goalkeeper Iker Casillas, for one, was at fault for three of the four goals Madrid conceded. By the way, the last time they shipped four at the Bernabeu in the Champions League was 15 years ago, against Bayern Munich. Virtually the only thing Casillas stopped on Tuesday night was players like Cristiano Ronaldo from leaving the pitch without applauding the fans. Iker Casillas failed to keep hold of Max Meyer's shot which led to Klass-Jan Huntelaar giving Schalke the lead . Gareth Bale, Alvaro Arbeloa and Cristiano Ronaldo look frustrated as Real Madrid were booed off the field . Surely it is time to play Keylor Navas then? It's not that simple. Jose Mourinho started a war within the club with his treatment of the legendary Casillas. While it's plain to see that the Spanish stopper has been far below his best level for a long time, displacing him could cause more trouble than it's worth. Ancelotti reinstated him and the tension at the club has since simmered down. He will have to think long and hard about whether he wants to start a new battle. Casillas was described as a 'celebrity' rather than a goalkeeper by Marca's Roberto Palomar, but the fact remains that he's the team's captain and has a big influence at the club. Iker Casillas has been below his best for some time, but replacing him is not as simple as it sounds . Casillas called on his Real Madrid team-mates acknowledge the home supporters following the surprise defeat . A group of Real Madrid fans waved a white handkerchief after the final whistle following a disappointing result . Why did Casillas have to force Ronaldo to stay on the pitch? Ronaldo is not having a happy time right now. Ever since he was berated for celebrating his 30th birthday on the evening of Madrid's embarrassing 4-0 defeat by rivals Atletico Madrid, he's been in a strop. Despite leading Lionel Messi in the Pichichi (golden boot) by 13 goals during mid-December, the pair are now level on 30 goals each in La Liga. After winning the Ballon d'Or in January, his productivity levels have dropped considerably. Ronaldo netted twice against Schalke, and both times he celebrated with fury, rather than joy, as if he was proving a point. Ronaldo scored a double against Schalke, but his relationship with the Madrid supporters is strained . The world player of the year has grown frustrated at the lack of support from the Real Madrid supporters . What’s got Cristiano’s goat? A recent poll in AS suggested 30 per cent of Madrid fans wanted to see him dropped - he probably doesn't think he has anything to thank them for. The whistles screaming around the Bernabeu at full time would have angered Ronaldo particularly, given his contribution to the Madridista cause over the past six years. After the game he angrily declared that he wouldn't be speaking to the press until the end of the season. The Spanish media were deeply critical of Real Madrid in Wednesday morning's newspapers . Marca and AS both opted for striking headlines following Real Madrid's defeat at the hands of Schalke . Gareth Bale looked tired against Schalke . What about his partner in crime, Gareth Bale? The past few weeks have been terrible for the Welshman. After last season's heroics in the Copa del Rey and Champions League finals, Bale was expected to continue his development and become a Bernabeu hero. Instead, he's more often the scapegoat. After the controversy where he shot instead of passing to Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, he was labelled selfish and castigated in the Spanish media. Since then, he's been far more reluctant to shoot. That's manifested itself in his recent productivity; he has no goals and no assists in eight matches. That's a long time to go without contributing as a forward for any side, let alone Real Madrid... Yes, it's quite astonishing really. For the most expensive player in football history, in a top team, to fail to contribute anything in that spell, is a surprise. He's played every minute of those eight games, and only in Madrid's 2-0 win over Deportivo de la Coruna on February 14, could he say that he put in a good performance. Is he tired? He looked exhausted against Schalke? That could be the case. Carlo Ancelotti has largely refused to rotate his side, particularly the strikers. The Italian described the 'BBC' attack as 'unnegotiable'. That's a terrible message to send to both the attacking trident, and players like Javier Hernandez and Jese, who are fighting for a place in the team. If Bale, Ronaldo and Benzema will start every game, regardless of performance, it's not going to motivate them or their underlings to produce good displays. It’s understandable that a player like Bale, who relies on his explosive pace, is feeling the strain. Madrid went to the United States to play friendlies in the summer, and then Morocco for the Club World Cup, all of which takes its toll. Carlo Ancelotti's future at Real is the subject of discussion despite delivering the club their 10th European Cup . So, is this all Ancelotti's fault? Well, he's the one that's under pressure now. He's being asked about his future at Madrid, which seems a little unfair given he finally landed them La Decima -  the club's 10th European Cup - last season. However, he's not helping his own cause with some of his comments. 'We've played so badly that it is difficult to explain,' he said after the Schalke game. Unfortunately, Carlo, it is your job to not just explain, but also fix the damage. The white handkerchiefs were out... It's a traditional sign of discontent among supporters in Spain, adopted in football from bullfighting. In that 'sport' it's seen as a positive thing, with spectators waving handkerchiefs to encourage the president of the fight to award the fighter a part of the bull (e.g. an ear, or a tail) as a reward for a good performance. Occasionally handkerchiefs can be waved to show support in football, after a great performance, but that was certainly not the case against Schalke. It's not unique to Real Madrid, but they are the team you associate it most with. The fans are, shall we say, high-maintenance. This is good for Barcelona then, who have overtaken Madrid in the league, heading into El Clasico next Sunday? Very good. Luis Enrique’s men are flying, reaping the rewards from a sensible summer schedule and the rotation which the coach was criticised for at the start of the season. Luis Suarez’s enforced rest means he’s finding his best form at the opportune moment, as Manchester City found out a few weeks ago. So Barcelona will beat Madrid in El Clasico and win La Liga? It’s not that simple. Real Madrid didn’t become a giant of world football by rolling over and having their bellies tickled by their bitter rivals. Luka Modric made his return on Tuesday night and he’s a key part of the team, so during the past three months they’ve sorely missed him. Sergio Ramos has been injured, too, along with James Rodriguez. While the latter won’t make El Clasico, Ramos and Modric should play, and that will help Madrid regain some balance and poise.
Real Madrid were dazzling Europe as they chased Champions League and La Liga glory . But a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Schalke on Tuesday is their latest setback . Cristiano Ronaldo appears unhappy while Gareth Bale is being subjected to taunts from his own supporters and Carlo Ancelotti is  under pressure . READ: Ancelotti not fearing the sack despite home defeat to Schalke . CLICK HERE for all the latest Real Madrid news .