Actually it would be correct to say they've experienced a renaissance ever since Joan Laporta became president in 2003, and after him his previous mate and now sour enemy, Sandro Rossell.

When Laporta turned up at the club they hadn't won a major title since 1999 and the self-esteem of the squad had plunged. He brought on board Frank Rijkaard as team coach, who after a slow start started winning matches; and his right hand man (at the time, till they slipped out and he resigned from the Barça board) Sandro Rossell used his contacts to sign Ronaldinho.

While the Brazilian player definitely had talent [*COMMA] he had not always done much with it. Nonetheless he did show a lot of flare with FC Barcelona even if they were never making the turnaround needed.

That turnaround happened when Barça signed Edgar Davids for the second 1/2 the season. Whether it was his arrival at the club, or whether his arrival coincided with everything coming together is impossible to say. What is certain though is that the club started winning game after game. And at last the beaten down Barcelona rose up again and started to become the team it is today.

The club went from strength to strength after that, although Davids decided to come back to his old club after the half season loan. While he may have been missed, the fortunes of the club continued to enhance and Barcelona won the second season under Laporta. After that the team continues to go ever upwards and unde Pep Guardiola were the first tea, to win the treble – la liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey.

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Nevertheless while Madrid started out well and we're simply a few matches in, his dream appears to have begun to unravel. He has famously stated that his 2nd season in any club is when he delivers, but with his whole focus seeming to be on arch-rival FC Barcelona he has just had 2 gigantic setbacks that he can ill afford.

First Real Madrid was beaten by Levante, a team that is the polar opposite to Real Madrid, with lowly paid players and a barely functional team that is lucky to be in top flight Spanish football. And then they drew with Racing Santander, losing some crucial points which they may need in the long run.

A poll by Sporting newspaper AS which backs Madrid discovered that lots of its readers laid the blame totally at the feet of Mourinho; while seeking to shift the blame to referees and opposition players he has not been able to shoulder responsibility himself for what many consider a gloomy start. And we're starting to hear talk about another crisis year at Real Madrid.

However , what quantity of an emergency is it truly, when a team like Real Madrid comes 2nd in the league after a much superior teams like Bara? While fans could be disappointed their side is still principally delivering the goods.

Mourinho’s major difficulty will be the patience of Florentino Perez, Madrid’s president. While he has backed “the special one” so far in his career at Madrid there will come a point when he can snap. Mourinho is Real Madrid’s eleventh coach in 7 years, so that the club does not flinch in making such changes. Can Real Madrid’s fortunes change before that happens?

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While both groups began well, FC Barcelona slipped when what should have been a reasonably comfortable win against Real Sociedad turned into a draw. And just when they needed something to show they hadn't lost that special something they once more drew, this time against AC Milan in the Champs League, thanks to an injury time goal before the final whistle.

Critics immediately laid into FC Barcelona, saying they’d lost their touch; 2 average results is all it requires to call an emergency. However , they answered with an 8-0 win against Osasuna, their best result since the 90s, instantly silencing their critics again.

While it looked rosy for Barcelona, things suddenly went very wrong for Real Madrid. While they had won their first 2 matches and sat at the head of the classifications they then lost 1-0 against Levante, a team that should hardly be in the first division such is its poor state.

This is meant to be Real Madrid’s year, the second season under Jose Mourinho. But you can’t help thinking that his total focus on what Barcelona are doing is his greatest weakness. Fielding an under-strength squad against Levante showed big audacity, that's for sure.

But what will lose Real Madrid the league again this season isn’t what FC Barcelona does or does not do. It is down to how many points Real Madrid can gain, making sure that they beat teams like Levante and all the rest of the clubs at the base of La Liga. If Mourinho is to bring the success that Real Madrid needs he needs to shift his focus, fast.

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There are plenty of soccer superstars playing in Spain’s top division, and it is with good reason that it is regarded as the number one domestic league in the whole world. Listed below are the players who are widely regarded as being the best in Spain…

Messi : At the forefront of Barcelona’s treble winning team of 2008-09, Argentinean Lionel Messi continually dazzles fans and opposing players alike with his creativity and flair. Even though he is just 22, he is the current “World Player of the Year” and he well on the way to acquiring the legendary status of all time great Pele and Maradona.

Cristiano Ronaldo : Explosive power and blistering pace are what led to Ronaldo initially being signed by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.Now playing for the mighty Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo is hoping to make as big an impact for el Madrid as he did in the famous red shirt of Man Utd.

David Villa : Playing for one of La Liga’s less glamorous teams, Valencia, David Villa Sanchez (to give him his full name) boasts an outstanding goals to games ratio. He was the winner of the “Golden Boot” for Spain at Euro 2008 and is closing in on Spain’s all time international scorers record. Equally dangerous with either foot, Villa has attracted a host of top clubs, who are all eager to sign-up the prolific striker.

Kaka : Brazilian midfield maestro Kaka, is a playmaker of the highest calibre. Able to make pinpoint passes across the entire length of the field, or dribble past several players in a row, Kaka was the darling of AC Milan and led them to “Champions League” glory in 2007. Now one of the jewels in Real Madrid’s crown, he aims to repeat the success he enjoyed with the Rossoneri in Italy and fire his new team to title glory.

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