Remember Sir Alex Ferguson's 'squeeky bum time' I referred to in my last article before El Derbi? The sense of tension that comes with an end-of-season run in? You felt it when Falcao levelled for Atleti at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday night didn't you? Go on, admit it. For 13 minutes at least, squeeky bum time made its presence felt amongst Madridistas.

Cristiano Ronaldo knew we all felt it, and he did something about it. Boy did he do something about it. A cracker of a goal to put Los Blancos back in control, after his first cracker had opened the scoring. A hat-trick, his seventh of the season, his 40th Liga goal of the season, helped Madrid to victory and restored their four-point gap at the top of the Primera Division. Jose Callejon added a fourth for good measure.

Problems? What problems? The last time I updated the blog Madrid had been held to consecutive draws, had seen their lead at the top of La Liga cut from ten points to six, and had blanked out media coverage. Oh, and they'd announced plans to build their very own island, too. Just your average drama-packed week at the Bernabeu, then.

Eight days later? Six points from six, one foot firmly in the semi-finals of the Champions League, 13 goals for, two against, Madrid back in front of the media and Jose Mourinho saying he isn't going anywhere, despite press reports linking him with what now seems a monthly return to the Premier League - this time with Manchester City.

Things are all rosy again at the Santiago Bernabeu.

I know this post is a couple of days late, but - Happy Birthday Real Madrid! Los Blancos celebrated their 110th birthday on Tuesday in style - ten points clear at the top of La Liga and still on course to win the Champions League and complete a memorable double for Madridistas this season.

I have to admit, I didn't even realise Madrid were celebrating that milestone this week, this despite being over there watching the Espanyol game at the weekend. Shame on me, I know, but Madrid were hardly pushing the celebrations before or during Sunday's match - but maybe that's just down to my poor Spanish.

Visit the official Real Madrid website this week and you'll see the headline: Mourinho: "We've done very well so far this season". A slightly bland assessment of the campaign, especially for a charismatic man such as Mourinho, but a level-headed and pretty much spot-on assessment nevertheless.

It's been over a week since my last blog update. A decision to let the dust settle on my post-match Clasico post more than anything. And there was plenty dust left to settle, I'm sure you'll agree. It was my intention to post an article on Ronaldo, and his poor performance against Barcelona, and to also have a look at the importance of the game against Sevilla - the final league game before the winter break.

Good job I didn't write that Ronaldo article, eh?!

First thing's first - well done to Barca. It pains me to say it, but after all the hype, all the good football by Madrid this season in the run up to the game, and the apparent below-par performances of the Catalans (poor away form, loss at Getafe etc.), Pep's boys last night showed Mourinho and his men (or should that 'boys' and 'men' be the other way around?) that Los Blancos still have a way to go to catch their bitter rivals. A way to go, but just how far? Not miles, going on last night's showing, and form over the season as a whole so far. Barca fans get the bragging rights, again, but they know the gap's closing, and they know that titles aren't decided in December.

That was the reaction from Guardiola, too, and rightly so. Match details aside, the reaction of both managers after the match highlighted one thing - that although psychologically Barca will have the upper hand, victory for Barca only makes the La Liga title race closer than recent seasons. The post-match press conferences were, by Clasico standards, low key from both clubs. Last night's game was always going to be more important for Barca - victory for Madrid would have put them in pole position for the title. Beating Barca and winning their game in hand would have put them a huge nine points clear - a big gap to close in what's certain to be a two-horse race. As it is now, a win for Madrid in their game in hand would see them regain top spot by three points although Barca do now have the better head-to-head record.

Barca have won the battle, but Madrid can still win the war.

Madrid is well known for being one of the party capitals of the world. Late starts to your Saturday night out, late finishes - or is that early Sunday morning finishes? Either way, Madridistas will have been partying slightly harder then usual this Saturday just gone thanks to two massive results in La Liga, both in the Spanish capital.

Los Blancos started proceedings with a 4-1 victory over neighbours Atletico in a fiery match at the Bernabeu which saw the visitors, travel-shy going into the match this season in La Liga, take an unlikely lead. Two penalties, two sending-offs, play-acting and some tough tackles later and Jose Mourinho's men finished up with a deserved three points which took them six clear of Barca at the top of the table.

Four days, and two big wins for Madrid - for very different reasons. Victory in a pulsating, often fiery clash at the Mestalla against in-form Valencia was followed by a more emphatic victory in the Champions League against a pretty poor Dinamo Zagreb side on Tuesday night. Different performances, different personnel, but the same outcome for a Los Blancos side that can comfortably adapt to differing scenarios this season - quite an attribute in a season when Jose Mourinho is aiming for a Champions League and La Liga double.

Both matches couldn't have been much different in terms of performance, in terms of opposition, and in terms of the importance of each one. But the result was still the same. Los Blancos may have rode their luck somewhat at Valencia, but they still came away with a massive victory, even more impressive given it came immediately after the international break. It cemented their place at the top of La Liga, with Barcelona only able to maintain their chase. On Tuesday night, the scoreline flattered the Croatian visitors - something which tells the tale of just how the night panned out. It was Madrid 'B', too, giving Mourinho plenty of options for the coming months.

So that's what it's like to kick-off at midday? Eight goals, a sending-off, the sun shining, a hat-trick for CR7, a whopping win for Los Blancos and a place retained at the top of La Liga going into another international break. Madridistas may not have been fans of the early kick-off (although there were barely any empty seats to show it) before the game, but they certainly were after.

Sunday's Primera Division clash with Osasuna certainly took its time to wake up and get going, but when it did it produced another belting display by Ronaldo and company. It was the first time Madrid had kicked off at noon - La Liga brought in the new kick-off times at the start of this season - and it certainly left the fans licking their lips for more.

The early season romance of Levante's brilliant, table-topping start came to an end with defeat at Osasuna at the weekend - and with it, handing Los Blancos top spot in La Liga following the 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad in Anoeta on Saturday. It seemed like it was almost a nation in mourning following Levante's loss - but not in the Spanish capital, where Madrid moved to where Madridistas feel they belong - right at the summit.

I've got to start by applauding Levante, who aren't even the main team in their own city, and have the lowest budget in La Liga, as reports go. To start the season unbeaten, topping the table for the first time in their history and beating Madrid along the way is some great feat. It was never going to last, probably why Madridistas and those in Catalonia were allowing Levante their time in the limelight - "make the most of it".

I quote author Phil Ball in his brilliant read White Storm - "Within the trophy room at the Bernabeu, the spoils of a century's achievements provide indisputable evidence of football's conquistadores rubbing the world's noses in the dirt."

You don't need me to tell you that success is a word used pretty much in conjunction with Real Madrid. Finishing second is failure, not winning the Champions League is failure. Even failing to fully satisfy the demanding Bernabeu crowd, despite winning 3-0, is sometimes frowned upon, as was the case on Wednesday night when Madrid eased to victory against out-of-form Villarreal.

Four more goals, another hat-trick, another comfortable win and a spot at the top of La Liga in the process - not a bad day at the office for Jose Mourinho and his men at La Rosaleda on Saturday night.

Madrid romped to victory, with Cristiano ending his mini goal-drought with a stunning first-half hat-trick, while Gonzalo Higuain continued his fine form but had to content with just the one goal against a Malaga side who proved to be extremely disappointing, despite an improved second-half performance.

Hello again, and let me start by saying welcome to any new followers of this blog and of me on Twitter, I've noticed a wave of new followers since my first blog a week ago.

I'm writing this straight on the back of Madrid's 4-0 thumping of Lyon in the Champions League. You know, the Lyon that seemed be to Madrid's nemesis over the last few years, the Lyon that have been so strong in the Champions League recently. But Jose Mourinho and his men made the French side look extremely ordinary as goals from Karim Benzema, against his former club, Sami Khedira, Mesut Ozil (although the third has been given as a Lloris own goal) and Sergio Ramos put them to the sword in fine style.