Seven points. Seven massive points. With the way Barca has dominated La Liga in recent seasons it’d be foolish to say the title is returning to the Bernabeu just yet – but it’s a very good bet.

My last post focused on Madrid’s impressive performance at the Camp Nou in the second leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final, even though Pep’s boys progressed to a semi-final date with Valencia. It focused on the mental strength of Madrid in Catalonia that night. The strength Los Blancos showed despite dominating the first-half and somehow finding themselves 2-0 down. The strength to continue playing well, not letting their heads drop, and coming away unbeaten.

That mental strength seems to be winning the way for Madrid at the moment, and it’s having a negative impact on Barca – as shown with three draws on the spin.

Many have spoke about the way Madrid must beat Barca to prove they’re the best in Spain, no matter what position they hold in La Liga. In theory, Los Blancos could fail to beat Barca in eight matches in all competitions this season and still win the league. Mourinho has been asked many times if this would ‘decaffeinate’ (thanks, Iker) any title triumph in the Spanish capital. Of course not, he replied, and I agree.

What about the impact on Barca of actually getting the better of Madrid time and time again and still trail their old foes by seven points in La Liga? What does that say about them? I think we’re finally starting to find that out with the performance of Messi and his team-mates in recent weeks. Messi’s penalty miss against Valencia in midweek perhaps sums it up.

While Barca often find top-gear with relative ease in the Clasico matches, they can’t find that top gear week-to-week in La Liga. The efficient Mourinho Madrid machine can. Play below-par, and Los Blancos still come away with maximum points. As with Zaragoza last weekend, a scare is thrown in there but Madrid have the strength mentally to still come out on top in the end. It’s a trait that’s set to claim the La Liga crown for Madrid come the end of the season, hopefully – and this weekend’s test at Getafe will go a long way to securing that sought-after trophy triumph.

Scroll down the fixture list at the start of the season and Getafe, whether it be home or away, is one of those games that is simply a must, and should-win for Madrid. Rewind back to November and it should have been three points for Barca too, but it wasn’t. A shock 1-0 victory for Getafe was seemingly a sign of things to come for the Catalans, and Guardiola hasn’t heeded the warnings. Draws against Villarreal, at the weekend, and city rivals Espanyol have made it advantage Madrid in the title race.

With Barca’s defeat at Getafe in mind, Mourinho shouldn’t get Madrid’s near-neighbours lightly. That victory aside, Geta come into the game in confident mood having won their last two matches, albeit against sides struggling at the wrong end of the table. Los Blancos simply need to win – draws are the new defeats in La Liga for the top-two, and they’re classed as victories for those lesser sides doing the damage.

Seven points is therefore a huge gap this season. Madrid have only dropped seven points all season long at its midway point and it’d need a huge drop in form for Los Blancos to throw away their current hold on top spot. Madrid’s efficiency at simply getting the right result should prove enough to see off Getafe and steer Los Blancos to three vital points tis weekend.

Barcelona eliminated cup holder Real Madrid from the Copa del Rey quarterfinals with Wednesday’s 2-2 draw at the Camp Nou.

El Mundo newspaper’s website released Barca TV footage on Friday of Xavi caught off camera speaking about the game.

Bilbao, who have won three straight and are unbeaten in seven matches, are fifth in the league and in the chase for a European place, maybe even a Champions League spot, under new coach Marcelo Bielsa going into Sunday’s game at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

Football can help to provide a place where people can come together and find a solution. With the ticket sales being donated to the Philippine Red Cross. LBC will also put up a booth at the Rizal Memorial Stadium during the game itself to take donations of clothes, canned foods and similar needed goods, the entire event is a fundraiser. Ticket prices range between a much more affordable P100-P500 as the organizers look to fill the stadium in an effort of solidarity with the people hit by the storm.

In addition there is also the chance for fans to get a piece of the Azkals as they can bid on such items as Ian Araneta’s boots, signed gloves from Neil Etheridge, the boots Chris Greatwich wore during the 2010 Suzuki Cup which started the rise of Philippines with his goals against Vietnam and Singapore as well as the signed boxing gloves of Manny Pacquaio.

Bidding has only just opened for the items so for the chance to win a unique sports item and to help others in the process check the rules and mechanics of bidding and then post your bid as a comment on the photograph of the item you want. All money raised will be given to the Philippine Red Cross to help in their efforts to bring relief to those affected by tropical storm Sendong.

Mourinho talked about a possible return to the Premier League in a “couple of years” during a BBC interview earlier this week, but in clarifying those comments Mourinho was adamant that did not mean he was looking to leave Madrid any time soon.

Yesterday the grainy images of Miguel Munoz’s team, who won 15 straight games in the 1960-61 season, were reproduced in the city’s sports papers – Munoz in shirt, tie and raincoat alongside his players wearing those whiter-than-white kits without so much as a sports brand stripe in sight, let alone a sponsor’s name.

Ronaldo had been doubtful for the match after missing his side’s training sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday as a result of a twisted ankle that he picked up against Atletico Madrid last weekend.

Atletico Madrid has not beaten Real since a 3-1 victory over its storied rival in the 1999-2000 season, and if Real’s home dominance thus far in La Liga is any indication, that streak looks set continue.

Madrid lead defending champions Barcelona by three points, their largest advantage over their biggest rival since Pep Guardiola took over as Barcelona coach.

“It’s important to be above Barcelona,” Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo said on Thursday. “It’s good and, more importantly, it motivates us.”

Valencia have won three straight games to sit four points off Madrid, who expect to have Brazil internationals Kaka, Marcelo and Turkey midfielder Nuri Sahin available following injuries.

“They are in their best moment of the Mourinho era,” Valencia midfielder David Albelda said. “Of course, you’d prefer to play teams like this when they’re not on such a streak, but it also has to end at some point.”

Ronaldo returns after guiding Portugal into next year’s European Championship with a pair of goals in a 6-2 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.

“We’re better and more mature,” Ronaldo said. “We’re playing well. But we’re taking it game by game. We know it’s going to be a very difficult and complicated match.”

Valencia held Barcelona to a 2-2 draw at the Mestalla Stadium earlier this season, with this trip marking Mourinho’s 50th game in charge.

Both Mourinho and Guardiola may have to juggle their line-ups with at least a dozen from each squad returning from a lengthy international break.

Barcelona play Zaragoza on Saturday with Lionel Messi returning from mixed performances for Argentina, although the league’s leading scorer with 14 goals is certainly set to feature despite only arriving on Thursday alongside Argentina team-mate Javier Mascherano. Chile forward Alexis Sanchez will also be available.

“I’m a little tired but that’s normal after you return from injury,” said Sanchez as the Catalans look to avoid the let-up that normally affects their game following international breaks.

While Messi will be marking eight years with the first team, midfielder Thiago Alcantara has just broken through and is likely to be called upon with so many internationals recovering from their long journeys.

“I never expected to get so many minutes this season; I’m surprised,” said Thiago, who helped guide Spain’s Under-21 team to two victories over the break while the senior squad lost against England and drew in Costa Rica.

Also, Athletic Bilbao follow their 2-2 draw against Barcelona with a difficult game at Sevilla on Sunday, which will test the Basque club’s 10-game unbeaten run.

Bilbao were unlucky to surrender a late goal to Messi in a memorable match at the San Mames before the break and coach Marcelo Bielsa is looking to maintain the impressive turnaround after a poor start. Athletic are ninth while Sevilla are four points better in fifth as they target their first victory in five games.

“This break has worked out well to give us a rest but unfortunately, it may have broken the dynamic that has made us so competitive of late,” defender Mikel San Jose said as Athletic vie for their first victory at the Sanchez Pizjuan since 1993.

After starting the first nine games unbeaten, Levante look to end a two-game losing streak when they play at Atletico Madrid, who will likely be without injured striker Radamel Falca as the club aims to have him back for the Spanish capital derby against Madrid next weekend.

In Sunday’s other games, it’s Real Sociedad vs Espanyol, Sporting Gijon vs Getafe, Osasuna vs Rayo Vallecano and Granada vs Mallorca.

Malaga are at Racing Santander on Monday.

At the stroke of midnight, Spain on Friday entered the official campaign period, almost certain to end with an overwhelming victory for the conservative opposition Popular Party.