Remarkably, the home and away record is identical. 16 wins, two draws and just a single defeat both at the Bernabeu and on their travels is phenomenal. Real scored 121 goals and let in just 32. Christiano was top scorer with 46 league goals. Gonzalo Higuain with 22, and Karim Benzema with 21 also made great contributions.

Ozil, Di Maria, Pepe, Alonso and Ramos were all fantastic and Casillas the captain was immense in goal, as usual. Mourinho was always entertaining and he is already planning for next season. It remains to be seen if there will be much activity in the transfer market this summer. Jose may wait to see if anyone catches his eye during 2012.

What is for sure is that Barcelona will find it very difficult to recapture this title from a brilliant Real Madrid.

Wild celebrations ensued across Spain as the Madrid fans were overjoyed at seeing the title wrested back from the grasp of fierce rivals Barcelona. Real achieved this stunning feat scoring a record number of league goals and they are still on course for a record number of points. If they win their next two games they will finish the season with 100 points. The current record is 99, held by Guardiola’s Barcelona team of two years ago.

Speculation on the departure of Mourinho in the summer has all but stopped. Indeed, Mourinho met with Real Madrid executive Jose Angel Sanchez yesterday to start making plans for next season. The club were dissapointed to go out of the Champion’s league at the semi-final stage and will want to win the cup next year along with retaining the title against a Barcelona side dseperate to win it back.

Christiano Ronaldo moved his league tally onto 43. Madrid have not completely relied on him, however, with Higuain on 21 and Benzema on 20. Ronaldo is tied in the race for the Pichichi with Leo Messi after the Argentinian scored twice against Rayo Vallecano.

Barcelona`s number ten has a slight advantage as he has an extra game to play, the cup final. Ronaldo, though, has a gun in his leg so either could win.

Real Madrid were rarely troubled against Sevilla after Fazio`s 3rd minute “goal” was disallowed when the referee deemed that Pepe had been fouled from Sevilla`s corner. Ronaldo could have had a penalty or two but croticism of the referee was unnecessary as Madrid continue their charge to the title.

Real are still on course for a record points haul in La Liga. Three more wins and Jose Mourinho`s team will have 100 points. This will beat Guardiola`s record by one and finish a dissapointing season for the departing Barcelona coach.

A win today would all but secure the title and if Barcelona then fail to beat Rayo Vallecano later then Madrid are crowned Spanish champion`s again. History shows that when Real have gone out of Europe then they have responded well in the league.

Real Madrid still have the chance of beating Guardiola`s record points tally. If they can win their last matches they will finish on a hundred points, one better than Barcelona`s ninety nine of 2009.

Barcelona looked unbeatable after despatching AC Milan but are now showing chinks in their armour. Remember that they had slipped to ten points behind Madrid in la liga before Real had a bad run. Any team can hit an obstacle and Jose`s old team, chelsea, may have done him a huge favour in halting Barcelona`s run of form.

Ronaldo and Messi are fighting for the golden boot and records in both europe and spain. At any other time they would have won the golden boot easily but it seems that they are constantly outdoing each other.
Messi scores five in a champion`s league match, then Christiano scores a hat-trick with two of the goals being contenders for goal of the season. Messi`s overall tally is bigger because he has played in extra tournaments.

Real Madrid should remember, also, that they triumphed over Barcelona a year ago to win the cup.

Tonight the Allianz arena in Munich sees the start of acrucial, perhaps season defining eight days for Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid. The return leg is next wednesday and in-between is the small matter of a trip to the Nou camp. Next thursday could see Madrid having booked a return trip to Munich for the final and with an almost unbeatable lead in la liga.

Mourinho, who says he is only talking to the press on Uefa`s orders, has praised Bayern but played down the unfavourable statistics. “History is not playing,” he says but insists that “we must not go to Munich without scoring.”

A full squad is available to Mourinho but they will need to be resolute in defense, so expect Marcelo to replace Coentrao. Alonso and Khedira can assist both attack and defense and either Kaka or Ozil can supply the attack. I would expect Ronaldo and Di Maria to cut in from the wings while Benzema or Higuain will play as a lone striker. This formation can easily become more offensive or defensive as required.

Bayern have their own triple point of attack with Robben and Ribery on either side of Mario Gomez. Gomez has scored more champion`s league goals than anyone bar Messi so he will be a real threat. A score draw tonight would be a great result.

Real Madrid`s nerves were jangling again when Falcao powered in a header to equalise soon after. Cometh the hour, cometh the man and it was Ronaldo again who sent Real back on the road to victory with a solo effort from way outside the penalty area. It was a similiar strike to the first, curling one way then the other and also dipping furiously to confound the keeper again.

Real then took control, their attacking paying off as Athletico tired. A clear penalty was calmly dispatched by Ronaldo for his hat-trick. Callejon came on as a late substitute and duly smashed home the fourth goal. The Bernabeu and all the staff were ecstatic with a clear touch of releif thrown in.

Next up for Madrid is bottom side, Sporting Gijon, who will need a miracle to upset a rejuvenated Real. Even a loss at the Nou camp will leave Madrid at the top of La Liga and still looking at a league and European cup double. Everyone at the club will be feeling a little better today.

Mourinho refused to release his team sheet after this morning`s training session but the absence of Lass, Carvalho, Sahin and Altintop from the team hotel surely means that they will not play. Di Maria is almost certain to start after his manager heaped praise on him today. “He gives us things that other players do not . He has the character that makes you think that anything is possible.”

Athletico have a problem with top scorer Falcao and striker Adrian suffering from flu. Manager Diego Simeone has included both in his team although neither trained yesterday with the rest of the squad.

A Real Madrid victory will see Iker Casillas join Raul on nine victories for Real at the Vicente Calderon stadium, a record he will be desperate to emulate.

Recent form suggests no problem for Real, as they have not lost a derby in over ten years. Mourinho can pick any team he wishes, with his only concern being the accumulation of yellow cards. Ronaldo, Alonso and Coentrao are one yellow away from suspension, with Di Maria, Kaka, Higuain and Khedira two yellows away from suspension.

Real are at home to Sporting Gijon next before they visit the Nou camp, which could decide la liga. It might be better if Ronaldo and Alonso picked up yellows tomorrow and missed the game against Sporting who are languishing at the foot of the table.

Tomorrow`s game is not being taken lightly though. Athletico have their top scorer Falcao back and they are chasing a champion`s league place for next season. Captain Iker Casillas has stated that “every year they are more eager to beat us” and has acknowledged manager Diego Simeone`s positive effect as ” a new and fresh air….they use the ball very well.”

This was the first goalless league draw at the Bernabeu since 2007 and increases the pressure on Jose Mourinho and the players. Pundits had almost given Madrid the league title a few weeks ago when they pulled out a ten point lead, whereas some are now claiming Barcelona are favourites.

The scoreline does not do justice to an excellent Madrid performance, they just happened to meet a very strong and determined Valencia. There were fifty shots during the game, 33 to Madrid and countless great saves, Casillas having to rescue his team from an even worse result on a couple of occassions.

Reaction to the result was mixed. The fans gave the team a rousing reception, while blasting the referee for failing to give at least one penalty and a red card. Karanka gave the post match interview and, alyhough clearly unhappy with the refereeing, stopped short of any specific accusations. Arbeloa blamed bad luck, when Madrid did beat the keeper the woodwork was there to deny Madrid a winner. Casillas was even more magnanimous, admitting that either team could have won.

Casillas and Arbeloa were more keen to look forward to wednesday`s crucial derby against Athletico. Keep calm and carry on.

As Arbeloa rightly said, “we would have taken a four point lead going to Barcelona at the start of the season.”