Top of the table. Thirteen games still remain in this stirring 2009-2010 campaign but for now, Madrid control their own destiny.

A few weeks ago I wondered if Barcelona’s form would ever falter to even afford Los Blancos the opportunity to close the gap; however, that was before a string of injuries depleted the Catalan club’s strength. A subsequent drop in form has lead to some surprising upsets, and Barcelona have now relinquished their five-point lead of La Liga to the capital side club.

The last time Real Madrid won La Liga Villarreal finished as runners-up to the capital city club. Despite a disappointing fifth place finish the following year, the Yellow Submarine were impressive during a Champions League run that saw the Valencian side into the quarter-finals of the European tournament.

This season the frustration continues at El Madrigal, tenth in the table, while former coach Manuel Pellegrini is leading Los Blancos towards reclaiming the league title from holders Barcelona. With the aforementioned Catalan club responding to their first league defeat resoundingly, a 4-0 dismantling of Racing Santander, the focus of Spanish football fans was centered on the Bernabeu on Sunday to see if Madrid could keep pace.

Pellegrini’s side kept pace with Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona after a comfortable victory on Saturday night over Espanyol. The 3-0 win maintained Real’s place in the table five points behind holders Barcelona, who beat Getafe.

Preserving their perfect home record, the question looming is not whether or not Madrid have the quality to surpass Barcelona but will Barcelona, who have yet to lose in the league, give the capital club the opportunity to gain ground on the Catalans.

Almost two decades after their last victory at el Estadio Riazor in La Coruña, Real Madrid won convincingly Saturday night against Deportivo. Unsuccessful in their last six trips to the Galician grounds, the capital side earned their first victory in the stadium since the 1991-1992 season. What really impressed was not only the decisive away result but the manner in which Los Blancos dominated the game. Possession and precision passing were crucial in Madrid's victory but it was the bold back-heel assist from Guti that stole the show, setting up Karim Benzema to double the visitor's advantage at the end of the first half. As comparisons to Barcelona have been made throughout the year, many critics have been quick to point to Barcelona's team game as why the Catalan club is still the best in Spain; however, the way in which Real commanded the pace of play Saturday night has many wondering if this team is finally coming together.

Real Madrid now find themselves trailing La Liga leaders Barcelona by five points after a 1-0 defeat in Bilbao on Saturday night, a deficit Madrid defender Raul Albiol has voiced his concern over. Telling Marca, after the visitor’s surprise defeat that, even with a little more than half the season remaining, to fall five points behind leaders Barcelona needs to instill a sense of urgency in Real.

Madrid’s defeat, Barcelona’s thrashing of Sevilla and the subsequent gap in the standings all coming days after Barcelona defender Pique stated that Real Madrid are still not a complete enough team to win trophies this season. Highlighting Real’s limited experience with one another versus Barcelona’s veteran presence, one cannot help to wonder the validity of the Spaniard's statement.

Real Madrid kept pace with leaders Barcelona after an exciting, albeit costly, win at Valencia Saturday night. Missing two stars in the middle of the pitch, Los Blancos were able to rebound from two Valencia equalizers to earn three points from Los Che; however, center-back and arguably the only consistent member of Real’s often maligned defensive line, Pepe, was carried off before the half with an injury that will most likely have the Portuguese international sidelined for the rest of the season. Until Pepe’s diagnosis it was unclear if Real would enter the transfer market to try and improve upon their erratic defensive play but now, there is no doubt. Madrid will be purchasing someone to fill the void left Saturday night; the only question that remains is who that player will be.

Making his first start back at the Bernabeu since his return from injury, Cristiano Ronaldo certainly left an impression on the home side crowd. An assist, a penalty miss, a goal, and a pair of yellows had the Portuguese international as the main topic of conversation throughout the Spanish capital Sunday after the host’s come from behind triumph. The 4-2 victory over visiting Almeria leaves Real Madrid five points behind FC Barcelona with a game in hand; however, save a five-minute laps in the second half, Real played what was, in my opinion, one of their most complete games of the year.

Real Madrid came into the Camp Nou as leaders of La Liga, armed with their new galacticos the Spanish giants were off to their best league start in seventeen years; however, Barcelona successfully defended their home turf, reinforcing the fact that the Catalan side is still the best in Spain as they continue their quest to defend the triple this season.

The match, after being billed as the most important Clasico in some years, ended up being quite anticlimactic though Barcelona will gladly take their three points and place at the top of the table.

With less than 72 hours until El Clasico, it would be safe to say that Wednesday night’s match, albeit important, was an afterthought throughout the city. Cristiano Ronaldo did make his return to the pitch after a ten game, fifty-five day absence while Real is merely a draw away, in a fortnight in Marseilles, from advancing with the top spot in their Champions League group; however, Sunday night’s result will have a much greater bearing on the future of Real’s season.

Real Madrid will enter the Nou Camp next weekend as the leaders of La Liga after a 1-0 victory Saturday, coupled with a Barcelona draw, leaves Los Blancos alone at the top of the table, on twenty-eight points through eleven matches. Madrid’s fine form early in the match was overshadowed by their lack of ability to finish and overall pedestrian showing against a club who will be fighting to remain in the league come May. Regardless, when Pellegrini’s men take the pitch for the highly anticipated Clasico in a week, they will do so as leaders of La Liga.

Iker Casillas, Spain’s number one, was donned, again, San Iker after his brilliant play in net again preserved a lead for Real and prevented Los Blancos from collapsing after a start that saw the visitors up three goals twenty-five minutes from time. When the final whistle blew, Real Madrid had once again defeated Atletico de Madrid at the Vicente Calderon; however, three points aside, Madrid has still yet to show they can control a game start to finish. With their first ‘meaningful’ victory, despite Atleti’s record they are a club of great quality, Madrid has continued to show great improvement over the last couple matches; however, Real’s inability to play ninety solid minutes could, in the end, be their downfall.

After a fortnight of internationals, there were a lot of questions to be answered at the Bernabeu this weekend as the Spanish league resumed.

Crisitano Ronaldo sat out Madrid's first defeat of the season on the eve of the break but with two crucial qualifiers for Portugal, the Madrid star attempted to play for his nation. Exiting the pitch after only thirty minutes in the first match against Hungary, some estimates have the Ballon d'Or winner sidelined for up to a month with his ankle injury.

Critics were quick to chide the judgment of both Ronaldo and Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz while fans and journalists wondered aloud how Real Madrid would react to the loss of possibly the world's best player.

Coming into Sunday night's clash with Sevilla there had been many questions about the strength of the Real Madrid back line; however, doubts aside, the boys in white had not conceded a league goal in over 400 minutes. After a commendable midweek performance in the Champions League, the Real Madrid defense was dismal and lackadaisical at the Sanchez Pizjuan on Sunday night, conceding two easy goals and three points to the home side.

Sevilla executed their game with great precision, spreading the ball wide and crossing into the area with great success. It was via such tactics that Sevilla were able to score both of their goals. As Marcelo watched a ball sail towards the far post, Jesus Navas came charging from behind, beating the Brazilian international to the ball, to head Sevilla into the lead on 33 minutes.

Entering the match as a substitute after halftime, Kaka supplied a much-needed spark for Pellegrini's side on Saturday. After a lackluster, scoreless first half against newly promoted Tenerife, the Chilean manager opted to make two changes at the break. The introduction of the Brazilian international changed the tempo of the match completely, breathing life into a very casual Madrid squad. Providing a new level of creativity and imagination, Tenerife could not find an answer to slowing Kaka and his playmaking.

In the first half Real seldom looked like a team contending for multiple trophies, creating only one true opportunity. To Tenerife's credit, the club from the Canary Islands executed their game plan perfectly throughout the first forty-five minutes. Shutting down Xabi Alonso in the middle while pressuring Casillas with quick shots, Jose Luis Oltra had his team on terms against one of the most lethal attacking squads in Europe.

On Wednesday night Manuel Pellegrini returned to El Madrigal, where he was the man at the helm for five years when Villarreal achieved their greatest success in the Spanish top flight. Supported by the play of Ronaldo and Kaka, the Chilean manager led Real Madrid to victory against a Villarreal team struggling to re-establish themselves as a perennial league contender.

Under Pellegrini Villarreal finished second in La Liga, ten points ahead of Barcelona, during the 2007-2008 season as well as Champions League semi-finals appearance in 2005-2006. Considered a challenger for a top position in the league this year, "the yellow submarine" have started the campaign sluggishly, not the time to play host to a Real Madrid squad looking to improve on their perfect start.

A day after league rivals FC Barcelona embarrassed perennial top club Atletico de Madrid, the spotlight was on Real Madrid to answer if they wished to stay atop the table. Forty seconds after kick-off Real had their response. Ronaldo's double accompanied by a late surge from the home side allowed Real to remain even with Barca and more importantly, continue their unblemished start to the season, on nine points after three matches.

Within seconds of the starting whistle, Cristiano Ronaldo took control of a loose ball and skillfully maneuvered his way through the Xerez defence and brilliantly struck home to put Pellegrini's side in control early. If it were not for the excellent play of Renan in net for Xerez, the match could have gotten out of hand very quickly. The Andalusia side, who are marking their first campaign in the top flight of Spanish football this season, were immensely out played early.

Nevertheless, trailing by only one goal for most of the contest, Xerez were able to threaten the Madrid net a few times. The Brazilian international's keeping surely kept the game within sight for Xerez; however, an onslaught in the last fifteen put the game out of reach and elevated Madrid to victory. But for the seventy-four minutes after Ronaldo put Los Blancos ahead, Real were unable to finish, keeping the supporters at the Bernabeu on edge.