Barcelona will compete for the title of the kings of Europe on May 28th, a phrase that no Madridista wanted to hear 18 days ago when the first of four clásicos kicked into action. Over the four matches, each club won once while the two Spanish giants drew on two occasions; however, as any football fan knows, it was timing and importance of those fixtures that will define this campaign.

Madrid brought home the Copa del Rey, their first trophies in four years; however, were felled to their bitter rivals in the semi-finals of Europe’s most prestigious tournament. In between the four fixtures, in what is arguably the greatest rivalry in football, Barcelona also increased their lead in the league. The Catalans will soon clinch their third consecutive league title, maintaining their domestic dominance. Certainly a season of headlines, drama, and, oh, the occasional football match, but then again, what else would one except from Jose Mourinho’s debut at the helm of the world’s most successful club?

Another ugly league defeat at the Bernabeu remains an afterthought as the focus in the Spanish capital remains on overcoming their two-goal deficit in the Champions League. Los Blancos defeat against Zaragoza set the stage for the Catalans to move 11 points clear of their rivals, all but sealing their third straight title. Barcelona were unable to capitalize, failing at the hands of Real Sociedad later in the evening; however, there is still little doubt as to who will take home the La Liga spoils with Barcelona only needing four points in the final four fixtures to do so. Madrid have dropped some vital points in the past few weeks, but with Barcelona’s stranglehold on the title race, it has been clear for some time now that the motivation behind Mourinho’s side has been Europe. Down two away goals to the 2009 champions, who are poised for a rematch against United were both teams to hold on to their first tie advantages, it will certainly take some miraculous play from ‘the Special One” and his galacticos.

Madrid dismantled the Champions League debutants Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday night, picking apart Harry Redknapp’s side and very likely ending the London club’s magical run in Europe. There was little doubt who were the superior side at the Bernabeu; however, the visitors put themselves at a numerical disadvantage within the first quarter of an hour, eventually in too dire of straights to recover from. Jose Mourinho’s side, playing in their first European quarterfinals fixture since 2004 (the same year Mr. Mourinho won the competition with Porto, who defeated AS Monanco in the final, the same French side who saw off Madrid in this very stage that year), were methodical, patient and have earned their position in the final four (pending a monumental collapse in the second leg). Barcelona’s destruction of Shakthar Wednesday evening have positioned us to expect a very mouthwatering super clasico two leg semifinal to decide which Spanish side will be represented at Wembley come late May.

Los Blancos continued their capital city domination on Saturday evening, maintaining their pace behind Barcelona and their faint title hopes. Atletico de Madrid have struggled against their neighbors, having not beaten Real Madird since 1999 and failing victim to Mourinho’s side four times this campaign. Atleti’s lackluster season aside, the rojiblancos have shown some brief spells of brilliance at the Vicente Calderon. With Madrid coming off an emotionally draining midweek Champions League fixture, the derbi madrileño could have very easily become a trap game; however, Madrid came out focused and took care of business. As we head into a short international hiatus, Madrid are still afloat in the league and in the final eight of Europe for the first time since 2002.

Through to the last eight; it has been a while since Real Madrid have been able to stake that claim in Europe’s top competition. Wednesday night, however, Madrid broke their six-year drought and overcame a Lyon side that had seen the Spanish giants off only a year before.

The first leg bore witness to a very inconsistent Madrid, but Los Blancos left little doubt at the Bernabeu, completely out playing their French opponents. The controversial Jose Mourinho continued his European success, advancing in a tournament in which many predecessors (in the last decade) had failed. A league victory against Hercules, combined with news from Sevillas' draw at the Sanchez Pizjuan had stolen two points from leaders Barcelona, have very quickly revitalized Madrid’s season in only a matter of days.

There is still a load of work to be done with Madrid still very far off from any sort of silverware; nevertheless, breaking a jinx and creeping closer to their Catalan rivals has optimism high in the Spanish Capital.

Despite a late equalizer through Bafetimbi Gomis, Madrid will return to the Bernabeu with an away goal and an unfamiliar sense of confidence after earning a result in the South of France. In three week’s time, Los Blancos will look to dispatch their pesky French rivals, which would, in turn, earn the Spanish side a trip through to the quarter finals in the Champions League for the first time in seven years. A streak of last 16 exits that Mourinho and company will obviously be happy see come to an end. Personally, Jose Mourinho is also working on his own little streak. Something to the tune of an impressive (that might be the understatement of the decade) nine years unbeaten at home in league play was extended at the weekend as Los Merengues brushed aside an inferior Levante, maintaining pace with Barca. Not to mention that over those nine years (Porto 38 matches, Chelsea 60, Inter Milan 38, Madrid 12), ‘The Special One’ has also hosted two European trophies on top of the domestic silverware. A step towards a third was taken Tuesday night where one must argue Madrid hold all of the cards in the return.

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.

Real Madrid took a massive step forward in their Champions League campaign with a convincing victory on Tuesday night against AC Milan. Two goals in ninety seconds would be all the home side would need to put themselves atop the group, on nine points through the first three games and five points clear of Milan and Ajax Amsterdam. The last season that Real Madrid won their first three groups stage matches was during the 2001-2002 campaign; the last time Los Blancos were crowned the champions of Europe.

It is amazing how quickly the press can change their tone after a massive result or atrocious defeat, promptly hailing the club in question as the greatest of all time or one doomed for relegation. The former was the case in Madrid on Wednesday as the sports media giants Marca were asking, “Do you think Madrid has qualified (for the elimination rounds of Champions League)?”

Mourniho, who got involved in the speculation after stressing the importance of his side’s result, declared that with a win at Milan they will have “practically qualified.” Sitting atop the group table on six points, two ahead of Milan, Madrid are certainly in a promising position with regards to advancing in the tournament; nevertheless, a lot can happen in four games and nothing, especially in the Champions League, can be taken for granted.

Wednesday night’s Champions League fixtures demonstrated the difference a finished product can generate versus one still striving towards cohesion. Similar to last years group stage, Real Madrid has started on the right, albeit through an unconvincing victory, path. A little more than one thousand kilometers North of the Spanish Capital, an Arsenal side lead by a young Spaniard made a thunderous statement to the rest of Europe: we are among the elite. Madrid cannot stake the same claim after their shaky 2-0 defeat of Ajax. Although it is a loaded comparison, the clear disparity in the two matches was the finishing, an issue highlighted by Mourinho after the match.

Amazing how one’s fortunes can change dramatically in just a matter of days. Sunday morning Real Madrid was at the top of the La Liga table after an exhilarating comeback against Sevilla. Seemingly playing their best team football of the season, Pellegrini’s men set their eyes on the second leg of their Champions League tie with Lyon. Facing a goal deficit should not have been a problem for the Spanish giants, especially at home, where Madrid have played their best football. It was a goal they could not overcome and Real Madrid embarrassingly crashed out the Champions League in the round of 16 for the sixth straight year. Close to two hundred and fifty million pounds spent in the off-season to reestablish themselves as a European power could not propel the Spanish giants past the first knockout stage, again.

At the weekend Real Madrid continued to improve, handling Xerez with the ease that was expected while getting help in the standings from Atletico’s defeat of leaders Barcelona. Three points closer to the holders, Pellegrini’s men travelled to southern France for the first leg of their Champions League tie with Lyon on Tuesday night, attempting to break a five-year streak of Round of 16 exits in the European competition.

The fourth place French side saw their top striker leave the Stade Gerland for the Bernabeu this past summer, on Tuesday night, though, Karim Benzema returned to face the team he served for five years. A fixture with many story lines, Madrid’s concern was a positive result in front of the return trip to the Spanish capital; however, Los Blancos could not break the resolve of their French counterparts and now face a goal deficit.

Amidst questions of his commitment to the team versus personal motives, Cristiano Ronaldo proved one fact beyond any doubt: the man is a talented footballer. The improvement in Real Madrid’s form with the Portuguese international back on the pitch after a two-month injury is obvious to even a novice football fan.

Ronaldo’s presence will be missed as Real travel to fourth place Valencia at the weekend; however, as for the Champions League, Madrid took care of business against Marseille, advancing to the knockout stage as group winners.

Real Madrid played, without a doubt, their best football to date during the first half of yesterday’s Champions League tie at the San Siro. This was the Madrid that most of us expected to see after their summer of spending; however, the team that took the pitch in the second half was more of what we have been getting from Los Blancos. Playing with a sense of urgency, Madrid dominated the first forty-five minutes, creating multiple opportunities while applying constant pressure on the home side. A victory over the weekend against Getafe plus a crucial point at AC Milan have given the Madrid faithful something positive to think about after last week’s debacle at third division side Alcorcon. The aptitude shown at the beginning of the match demonstrated the talent and capabilities this team possesses. If Pellegrini’s men can find a way to harness the former and avoid the latter form of yesterday’s match than trophies may be in this team’s future.

Minutes after Iker Casillas denied Pato from point blank range, a chip over Madrid’s defensive line found the foot of Brazilian international who volleyed home to seal his double and victory for Milan at the Bernabeu. Milan came into the Spanish capital needing a positive result after falling to FC Zurich at home in their previous game, and Pellegrini’s men were facing what was billed as their second true test of the season. The most concerning detail of Madrid’s loss Wednesday night was not the fault of one specific player or a particular aspect of the team but the fact that Madrid has failed to produce results in either of their two big games so far this season. Seemingly unable to win the big games, Madrid could be in store for a very long season.

The Portuguese international continued his excellent form this season, scoring twice and winning the penalty that would produce the third Real goal on Wednesday night. After hitting a double in his Champions League debut with Los Blancos, Ronaldo's continued excellent play has a lot to do with Real Madrid's flawless start to the season. Real's 3-0 victory at the Bernabeu against Marseille makes it seven wins out of seven matches thus far this campaign.

Sergio Ramos was back in the starting lineup after leaving Saturday's game as a precautionary measure. Causing the usual chaos offensively, Ramos also contributed to Real's finest defensive effort this season. The back line, which has been lethargic and unorganized at points, came together to look not only improved but almost sharp.

There was much speculation after the great deal of spending from Real Madrid this past summer; would it translate into a league victory? European success? As the most decorated club of the 20th century, there was much at stake for the second generation of los galacticos.

Acquiring the past two FIFA World Players of the Year was a start; Madrid was, in full affect, attempting to dethrone Barcelona, who had just won the treble (La Liga, Champions League and the Spanish King's Cup). The Bernabeu played host to the first game of the La Liga season as newly assembled Madrid was set to face Deportivo; however, the Galician team was not intimidated. Deportivo came out firing, keeping Madrid on their toes for an hour. The fixture showed, albeit a Madrid victory, that the back line of Los Blancos has not been fully secured and still misses the presence of Sergio Ramos.