It was labelled the ‘Group of Death’ with past European Champions AC Milan and Ajax in the mix, yet Real Madrid stormed through the competition as if it were a preseason warm-up campaign.

Madrid’s unblemished record has them atop the league and impressively through to the next round of the Champions League, but certain results have raised some, albeit minuscule, doubts throughout the capital.

Fifteen wins and three draws in their first eighteen competitive matches have high hopes at the Beranbeu, but one would be hard-pressed to find a Madridista who wouldn’t argue the nineteenth match on Monday will be the most telling test to date.

Looking back at the month of November, it seemed that it was going to be a gruelling test with Madrid needing to play their highest quality of football to arrive in December still the leaders in their respective competitions. To say they have done would be an understatement, as it stands they have played the best football in Europe this season; however, Monday’s trip to Barcelona for the 219th overall instalment of El Clasico will serve as a litmus test as to where the capital side stands in comparison to their Northern rivals (The 161st La Liga meeting between these two sides will take place on a Monday as to avoid conflicts with Catalonian elections. State police fear the two events occurring on the same day pose a security threat, though, some have speculated that it will give the hosts an extra day of rest with their Champions League tie on Wednesday in Athens).

Barcelona supporters may be quick to point to their side’s 8-0 drubbing of lowly Almeria at the weekend, but I would argue that Madrid’s 5-1 score line against a very capable Athletic Bilbao is much more impressive. Fernando Llorente, a rumoured Manchester United target, and his supporting staff forced Iker Casillas to be at his best at points; however, Madrid was the dominant side and very worthy of the score line. Tuesday night saw Mourinho’s men, who had already qualified for the next round needing only a point to secure the top of the table, again embarrass a competent opponent in Ajax. The resurgent (maybe a bit soon to go that far but a goal for France and the opener on Tuesday surely has the Frenchman in good graces in the Spanish capital) Karim Benzema would open things up on thirty-six minutes after brilliant work from Mesut Ozil with Ronaldo’s second half brace put things out of reach for the home side, is playing better than anyone in the world right now.

It is too early to speculate how this Madrid team, as well as they have started, will finish, but Monday should help to gauge where Los Blancos stand amongst Europe’s elite (granted Madrid has been the most impressive across Europe thus far, their lack of trophies over the past few years requires the constant comparison to those who have been conquering the silverware). Nonetheless, one cannot help but notice the improved overall quality at the Bernabeu from a season ago. Manuel Pellegrini was not a bad manager but just how much better is Jose Mourinho? Is the “Special One” just that special or have the likes of Mesut Ozil and Angel di Maria opened up the field, creating more service into the area while giving Cristiano Ronaldo the freedom to demonstrate his quality? Last season’s Achilles’ heel, the back four, has been bolstered by the addition of veteran Ricardo Carvalho. Is it the Portuguese international’s presence in the centre of the defence, complimenting the organization of Sr. Casillas, that has seen Los Blancos only concede an unprecedented nine goals in those eighteen competitive matches or is it the restored confidence in players like Marcelo (whose head was being called for and despite a run of fine form, some pundits are still demanding an upgrade) from the new manager that is making all the difference in the back. Much like the Messi – Ronaldo debate, which will surely heat up across Spain in the coming days (and in the same way the aforementioned is a compromise between the two), the debate as to where credit is owed for Madrid’s stellar start lies somewhere in-between. Monday’s match will be Madrid’s chance at ending a four match drought in the Derbi Espanol but will certainly not determine the winner of La Liga, let’s leave that up to the conjecture of the pundits.