Real Madrid exited the first-leg El Clasico on the 26th of October, leading the standings by 5 points after successfully overcoming the disappointments of last season, establishing themselves as the top contenders for the title.

The team was moving steadily and only stumbled against Atletico Madrid in a tough derby that ended with a significant result, depriving the Royals of achieving a perfect score.

This superiority was not just a fleeting moment; just 7 rounds ago, Real Madrid reclaimed the top spot, benefiting from Barcelona's loss to Girona, along with their victory over Real Sociedad, making La Liga seem to be turning white as two-thirds of the season neared completion.

But the picture completely changed after just 54 days, when Girona returned to disrupt one of the giants again, this time with a draw at the Santiago Bernabeu, a result that dealt a new blow to the Royal team's ambitions.

That temporary lead was the turning point, as since then, Barcelona continued their winning streak, while Real Madrid lost 11 points in less than two months. Despite achieving important victories against Atletico Madrid and Celta Vigo, they notably stumbled against mid and lower-table teams, losing to Osasuna, Getafe, and Mallorca, and drawing with Girona.

With only 7 rounds left in the season, the number of points wasted in the second half is very close to what the team lost in the first half, reflecting a clear decline in performance and results. During this period, coach Alvaro Arbeloa achieved an average of 2.08 points per match, compared to 2.37 points in the first phase under Xabi Alonso's leadership.

In terms of numbers, Barcelona quickly turned the tables, making up a 9-point difference in just five rounds, benefiting from Real Madrid's stumbles.

Although the Royal team later regained some balance and reduced the gap through a series of eight consecutive wins, the gap widened again to seven points and could rise to nine if Barcelona wins the derby against Espanyol.

This gap puts the Catalan team in a comfortable position, as maintaining the same results as Real Madrid is enough for them to win the title, and they might even secure it early in the El Clasico scheduled for May 10th, a scenario that seemed impossible just a few weeks ago.