Pedri is already one of the best players in the world in his position, according to Barcelona boss Xavi.

The 20-year-old midfielder marked his 100th appearance for the club on Saturday with the only goal as Barca edged past Girona to claim an eighth win in nine LaLiga games.

The result moved Barca six points clear at the league summit, although Real Madrid can reduce the deficit back to three when they host third-placed Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Pedri has scored with 72.7 per cent of his shots on target (8/11) since Xavi was appointed – the highest ratio of anyone who has scored at least six goals in this period – and the Barca boss was full of praise for the Spain international. 

"He's already a big difference maker in games and if you also add assists and goals, we're talking about one of the best in the world in his position at just 20 years of age," he said.

"And he still has to do more in the last pass. But not only Pedri; also Gavi, [Frenkie] De Jong, [Sergio] Busquets, and [Franck] Kessie when he plays."

Barca were far from their fluid best against Girona, who have now failed to win any of their five LaLiga matches against the Blaugrana, and Xavi wants his players to be more daring in attacking situations.

"We still don't fully dare," he added. "We give the correct pass, but not the decisive pass. We have to shoot from outside the area, look for good balls, make a cross.

"Girona put pressure on us and they surprised us, but sometimes we need to get out of the box and generate more. 

"The first half-hour of the second half is what we want; the victory and the goal come thanks to high pressure.

"I am satisfied with the victory, but we must be self-critical and we must improve in attacking situations."

Pedri replaced the injured Ousmane Dembele in the 26th minute and Xavi confirmed the France international will be tested to determine the severity of the issue. 

"In a match like this it is even more important not to lose Dembele as he is the most important player in one-on-one situations and, of course, it upset our plans.

"They will test him and we will see, but he has noticed something and it seems that there is a quadriceps injury. It's a shame because he is an important player."

Barca are next in action on Wednesday when they visit Real Betis. 

Marseille have struck a deal to sign Azzedine Ounahi after clubs from across Europe targeted the midfielder who dazzled in Morocco's World Cup semi-final run.

Ounahi was pivotal as Morocco became the first African team to reach the last four at a World Cup, catching the eye as the Atlas Lions saw off Spain and Portugal before falling to France.

The 22-year-old will leave Angers to join fellow Ligue 1 outfit Marseille for a fee reportedly of around €10million, having previously been linked with the likes of Napoli, Leicester City and Leeds United.

Both clubs announced a deal was in place on Saturday.

Marseille, who sit third in the table, said in a short statement: "Olympique Marseille announces an agreement in principle with Angers for the permanent signing of Azzedine Ounahi."

Ounahi has played 15 games in the French top flight this season, having also been a regular last season, and he will leave Angers just 18 months after arriving from minnows Avranches.

His arrival at Stade Velodrome could pave the way for Matteo Guendouzi to depart.

The France international is rumoured to be a target for Aston Villa and West Ham.

Leaders Barcelona made it eight wins in nine LaLiga matches as Pedri's second-half goal secured a slender 1-0 victory over Girona on Saturday.

Xavi's side struggled in the first half at Estadi Montilivi, with their frustration compounded by the loss of Ousmane Dembele to injury before the break.

They improved after half-time and sealed three points just past the hour when Pedri marked his 100th appearance for the club with his fifth league goal of the season.

The result moved Barca six points clear at the league summit, although Real Madrid can reduce the deficit back to three when they host third-placed Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Barca suffered a blow in the 26th minute when Dembele pulled up holding his left leg, with the France international replaced by Pedri.

The 20-year-old midfielder initially did little to spark life into Xavi's spluttering side, who went in at the break having mustered just two tame efforts on target. 

He came to the fore following the interval, though, tapping in from close range in the 61st minute after Paulo Gazzaniga failed to deal with Jordi Alba's low cross from the left.

Girona responded well to that setback, with Michel's side putting significant pressure on the Barca backline in the closing stages.  

An unmarked Ivan Martin inexplicably fired wide from six yards late on, with the visitors ultimately scraping maximum points as they bid to win their first title since the 2018-19 season. 

James Maddison's return to the starting line-up came as a huge boost to Brendan Rodgers as Leicester City avoided an FA Cup shock to move into the last 16 with victory at Walsall.

Premier League strugglers Leicester won 1-0 at the League Two outfit on Saturday.

Youri Tielemans hit the post with a penalty but substitute Kelechi Iheanacho sent the Foxes into the fifth round with a deflected strike from just outside the area 22 minutes from time.

FA Cup specialist Iheanacho now has 17 goals in his 23 matches in the competition, while attacking midfielder Maddison – who has been a transfer target for Newcastle United and Tottenham – made his first start since November 12 when he suffered an injury before the World Cup.

"There were lots of positives as well as the result, including James Maddison coming back in," said Leicester boss Rodgers, who led the team FA Cup glory in 2021.

"[Maddison] needs his football fitness now. He's such a big talent. Just trying to get him up to speed and this was a great chance for him.

"I was really pleased. It was getting him onto the pitch as it's a long time since he's been out there. He's worked hard and got a good 60 minutes, which was the plan. We saw how he was at half-time. 

"He has a way to go yet in terms of his football fitness but he has been training the last little bit and he's such a big talent for us, when he's on the pitch anything can happen."

Rodgers added: "We could have been more comfortable with some of the chances we missed but the attitude of the players was excellent.

"We've seen it in the last round, the difficulties these sorts of games can provide. I always try to respect the competition and put out a strong side

"The last time [Iheanacho] was scoring we won the FA Cup, so hopefully it's an omen. He will get more game time as Jamie Vardy is out for a few weeks. 

"Maybe because he's not been a starter for so many teams, when he gets his chance in the FA Cup, he takes his chance and he scores. He has made a great impact in the competition since I've been here."

Leeds United joined Leicester in progressing by beating lower-league opposition, winning 3-1 away to Accrington Stanley.

Roma head coach Jose Mourinho has congratulated Napoli on already wrapping up the Serie A title, despite the season only being halfway complete.

Napoli are 12 points clear of closest challengers Milan at the summit after winning 16 of their opening 19 games and losing just once.

They are just the third different team in Serie A history, after Juventus three times and Inter once, to have won that number of games in the first half of a season.

Roma will look to halt Napoli's momentum at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday, but regardless of the result, Mourinho can only see one outcome in the title race.

"I'll say what I always say: they have already won the Scudetto, and deservedly so," Mourinho said at Saturday's pre-match press conference.

"They are an excellent team, with an excellent coach in Luciano Spalletti. They are now 12 points ahead and there are no teams that scare them. The Scudetto is theirs.

"We won't just step out of the way for them, but they have already won the championship. Congratulations to them."

Napoli are unbeaten in eight of their past nine Serie A matches against Roma, with their sole defeat in that run coming in November 2019 (a 2-1 loss at Stadio Olimpico).

Among the 10 coaches Mourinho has faced at least four times in Serie A, Spalletti is the one he has the worst win percentage against (20 per cent), with just one win from five.

For Spalletti, though, it is still a case of one game at a time as Napoli target an elusive first title since the 1989-1990 season in the days of Diego Maradona.

"The results of other teams is not down to us, so we must therefore always behave the same and play well, while also being humble," Spalletti told reporters.

"We pay attention to taking it one step at a time, concentrating on where we put our feet. We work daily and never beyond."

Napoli are unbeaten in their past four home league games against Roma – not since between 1985 and 1989 have they enjoyed a longer such streak (a run of seven). 

Massimiliano Allegri has too much going on with Juventus in the aftermath of their points deduction to worry about his future, according to the Bianconeri coach.

Juventus, then third in Serie A, were deducted 15 points last week following an investigation into the club's past transfer dealings.

They have always denied any wrongdoing and hope the sanctions will be overturned on appeal.

But Juve slipped to 10th before a 3-3 draw with Atalanta and will kick off against Monza on Sunday in 11th. Monza could overtake their opponents with a win.

Allegri was asked on Saturday if he had spoken to owner John Elkann about a contract renewal, but his attention is on matters on the field.

"I spoke to Elkann but not about this," Allegri said. "He asked me how the team is doing.

"Right now there are so many things to do, we need to stay focused on the league without losing sight of it. We have four months with goals to achieve."

Allegri is trying to keep his players focused, too, keen to maintain the belief that saw them earn 38 points on the pitch – even if they have only 23 in the standings.

"We have to be isolated from everything; we are asked to go on the pitch and win games," he said.

"We must be focused on what we have done so far. We must have revenge on our minds against Monza because we have taken only a point in the last two games regardless of external problems.

"There is a strong club. We think about making the results and reinforcing our ranking, which is 38 points. From that, we must move forward.

"We finished the first round [of the season]; now we have another 19 games. From tomorrow, we must try to score as many points as possible."

He added: "We scored 38 points. If you say otherwise, you can lose certainties; the team scored 38 points on the field.

"We have to work on the basis of that ranking there, then if they give [the points back] to us or not, there is a strong club that works to defend itself.

"We have to defend ourselves on the field – and indeed attack, because we have to score points."

Juventus will be able to call on Paul Pogba for the first time this season against Monza, with Dusan Vlahovic also fit again, though Weston McKennie is set to leave the club.

Pogba returned to Juve from Manchester United at the start of the season, having previously signed for the Bianconeri after leaving Old Trafford the first time in 2012.

But France's World Cup-winning midfielder sustained a knee injury in pre-season and later required surgery, missing the entire season so far and Qatar 2022.

Finally, on Saturday, coach Massimiliano Allegri was able to confirm Pogba's imminent return to action, while Vlahovic is also set to feature for the first time since the World Cup following a groin complaint.

He added of the pair's status ahead of Juve's home match against Monza: "They're fine. They did good [in] training, a good test the other day.

"Vlahovic's condition is better than Pogba's, also just as a physical structure, but Paul in recent days has come ahead.

"If a player is called up, he can play. Of course, they don't have 60 minutes in their legs, they'll have 30 at most."

Mattia De Sciglio will also be available to Allegri, but Leonardo Bonucci requires more time to recover his injured adductor.

Juan Cuadrado and Federico Chiesa, who is fatigued, will both miss the Monza game before returning to the fold against Lazio in midweek.

McKennie is another who will be absent this weekend, and Allegri does not expect the United States midfielder to return to Juve as a deal has been struck with a suitor, said to be Leeds United.

"There is an agreement between the clubs, then I don't know if it will go through," Allegri said.

"He's a player on the market, so it doesn't seem right and normal to bring him [for this game]."

Diego Simeone appeared to contradict his previous remarks about his commitment to Atletico Madrid, stating that his future with the club will only become clear at the end of the season.

Atletico's defeat in the Copa del Rey to Real Madrid on Thursday effectively ended their silverware prospects for the season, with the club fourth in LaLiga, 13 points behind leaders Barcelona, and also out of Europe.

Speaking after the defeat to Los Blancos, Simeone reaffirmed his commitment to Atleti, insisting he will not walk away of his own accord yet.

However, at his press conference ahead of Atleti's LaLiga visit to Osasuna on Sunday, Simeone suggested a decision on his future will depend on how Atleti finish the season. 

Asked if he intended to continue with the club, Simeone said: "It is more complex than what you suggest. They [the club] will find out when the season ends what will happen.

"My contract depends a lot on how we finish the season. Every season finale we get together to see how we continue. This year will not be the exception."

Atleti have failed to win any of their past three league games on the road, after winning seven of the previous eight such games in the competition.

Given that poor run of form, they could perhaps not have asked for a better opponent to face on Sunday as they bid to get their season back on track.

Atleti have been victorious on their past four visits to Osasuna, scoring at least three goals in each of those wins.

Despite the quick turnaround after Thursday's defeat, Simeone has no doubt his players will be in good shape for the clash at El Sadar Stadium.

"We do it as a way of life," he added. "When one gives everything like the other day, you stay peaceful. You do what you have to do. It is the way of understanding life. I am at peace and have the tranquillity of doing a great job.

"Now it's a game against a rival who will be excited, with a very good coach, always competitive, always complex, with positive energy."

Carlo Ancelotti has responded to strong claims made by Atletico Madrid CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin that Real Madrid get preferential treatment from referees, insisting corruption no longer exists in football.

In a statement published on Atletico's official website on Friday, Gil Marin claimed Real are involuntarily favoured by referees and have created an atmosphere that influences officials.

Gil's strong remarks came a day on from Atletico's 3-1 extra-time loss to fierce rivals Real in their Copa del Rey quarter-final tie, which they led for an hour until Rodrygo cancelled out Alvaro Morata's goal.

Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior won the tie for the hosts at the Santiago Bernabeu in the additional period, after Stefan Savic was sent off by man in the middle Cesar Soto Grado for two bookable offences.

However, Atletico felt Real midfielder Dani Ceballos should also have been dismissed for bringing down Thomas Lemar when already on a yellow card and with the visitors a goal to the good.

"Anyone who observes [the situation] from the outside can see that for decades the same thing almost always happens," Gil Marin added in his statement.

"Unfortunately it no longer surprises anyone, it is not news. It's very obvious and you just have to remember the story."

Ancelotti was reluctant to get involved when asked about Gil Marin's comments at a pre-match press conference previewing Sunday's LaLiga match with Real Sociedad, but he did add suggestions of referees favouring certain teams are wide of the mark.

"I have not read the comments, though I have heard something," Ancelotti said. "I don't want to talk about it. The only thing I can say is that my character is my character and I respect to all opinions.

"It was a competitive match, an even match. I think for our part we deserved to win. The rest are matters I won't talk about."

Asked if he feels referees in general are doing a good job, Ancelotti said: "It is very complicated for them. It seemed that with VAR it could help. There is no longer talk about offside, for example. 

"But everything that is not objective can create controversy. The corruption is gone compared to the past. In general, refereeing has improved a lot across Europe."

Madrid now turn focus back to LaLiga and a showdown with third-placed La Real, who lost to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey in midweek but are on a five-game winning run in the league.

"La Real are playing very well and have good dynamics," said Ancelotti, whose side trail leaders Barcelona by three points.

"We have to improve certain parts. After what happened against Atleti, it is important to play a complete match offensively and defensively."

The United States will host a reformatted 2024 Copa America, CONMEBOL has confirmed.

Ecuador had been due to stage next year's competition but withdrew in November due to concerns over security and infrastructure.

The USA previously hosted the tournament in 2016 for a special centenary edition, with that the only previous occasion it has been held outside of South America.

It has also been announced that the 2024 edition will feature its usual 10 teams from South America, plus six from North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The USA, who will also jointly-host the 2026 World Cup along with Mexico and Canada, are not guaranteed a place at the Copa America.

Argentina won the delayed 2021 tournament thanks to 1-0 win over hosts Brazil at the Maracana, though coronavirus restrictions meant stadia capacities were restricted.

Stefano Pioli is not expecting Milan to do business before the transfer window closes on Tuesday, believing their squad already contains the solutions to all their problems.

The Rossoneri have suffered an alarming slump this month, going five matches without a win across all competitions.

The three defeats in that run have been particularly concerning as Milan have crashed out of the Coppa Italia to Torino, lost 3-0 to rivals Inter in the Supercoppa Italiana and been on the end of a 4-0 thrashing by Lazio this week.

Yet Pioli is relying on the players who have struggled of late to set Milan back on course, starting against Sassuolo on Sunday.

"We have the resources to get out of this moment," the coach said. "The club has been expressing itself on the market for some time.

"We're recovering from injuries, so that's how we're doing."

Pioli agreed Milan are dealing with a mental issue, but he has no doubts about the attitude of his players.

"Absolutely. No-one should think that the players do not want to overcome this moment or that they do not put in 100 per cent," he said. "I have always seen great attention and will.

"This moment is overcome by working, because we know how to do much better than what we are doing."

Milan have not gone six matches without a win since April 2018, then led by Gennaro Gattuso, and Pioli acknowledges only the result matters against Sassuolo at San Siro.

"Maybe winning tomorrow will see the return of our self-esteem," he said. "And the results and football will be as beautiful as we have always been."

Mohamed Salah is "suffering" after seeing Liverpool's "well-drilled machine" frontline disbanded this season, according to Jurgen Klopp.

Sadio Mane left for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich prior to this term, while Roberto Firmino has seen his role diminished after the arrival of Darwin Nunez and more recently Cody Gakpo.

Egypt international Salah remains the constant in Klopp's front three, though he has struggled in front of goal this campaign – converting just 11.7 per cent of his chances for seven Premier League goals.

That mark may seem poor for the three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner, whose previous lowest conversion rate for Liverpool was 14.4 per cent when he scored 19 in the 2019-20 campaign.

"Of course he is suffering," said Klopp ahead of Sunday's FA Cup fourth-round clash with in-form Brighton and Hove Albion. "It is specific, offensive play that requires a lot of work and a lot of information."

Salah, Firmino and Mane fired Liverpool to a Champions League crown and the Premier League title, though that front three are now a distant memory at Anfield.

"It was a well-drilled machine the front three, everything was clear what we were doing," the German added.

"You create a feeling about a lot of these things, about where your team-mate is and where to pass the ball without looking."

Gakpo and Nunez are among the new faces tasked with reinventing Liverpool's attacking fortunes but Klopp acknowledged it will take time for his side to adapt.

"Now we have Cody as a really important asset, like a connector, he can play the wing and the centre as well," he added.

"When Darwin is playing there he is obviously more high up, going in behind. We never played with a nine before, even when Sadio played in the position he was dropping in moments.

"It is all good if they would all be in and we could build something, but we haven't been able to do that yet."

Diogo Jota is nearing a return to bolster a Reds attacking line-up in desperate need of some form, yet Klopp believes Liverpool – who are ninth in the league – have greater concerns than a misfiring attack.

"If you had scored hundreds of goals in the past and now you are not scoring then that is the first thing you would think about but that is not our problem at the moment," he said.

"But usually you have a real basis to build on and that is what we don't have. The problem is you need time and nobody wants to invest time.

"I wish everything would be easier again and that already we had qualified for finals at the end of the season. This situation is not perfect but the basis of the last two games is something I like."

Chelsea's busy January is showing no signs of slowing down, despite landing five players already.

The Blues, who are 10th in the Premier League, have brought in Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Andrey Santos, David Datro Fofana and Benoit Badiashile during this window.

Chelsea are 10 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United and desperate for a top-four finish to bring Champions League football back to Stamford Bridge.

And another signing is now imminent.

TOP STORY –  CHELSEA AGREE DEAL FOR LYON'S GUSTO

Fabrizio Romano claims Chelsea have agreed to a deal with Lyon to sign right-back Malo Gusto.

The 19-year-old will fly to London and undergo medical tests on Saturday, with the player to join the Blues in June 2023.

Lyon will receive €30million plus add-ons and retain the player on loan for the remainder of the season.

OL head coach Laurent Blanc had said the club's board guaranteed that he would remain with the club this season, with the loan solving that roadblock. 

ROUND-UP

– Arsenal will make an improved offer for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo , according to The Telegraph. The Seagulls turned down Arsenal's initial £60m bid for the Ecuadorian, who took to social media to plead with the club to let him go.

– Atletico Madrid are back in for PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe , having been interested in him during the off-season, reports Le Parisien. Kimpembe, who is out of contract in mid-2024, may slip out of favour at PSG with the French champions pushing to sign Inter's Milan Skriniar.

– Real Madrid have ruled out an off-season transfer for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice , according to The Daily Mail. The report claims Rice has "given his word" to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta that he will join the Gunners next season.

– Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo has rejected a move to Premier League strugglers Bournemouth despite the club's board travelling to Italy, preferring Milan or Tottenham instead, claims Fabrizio Romano.

– FootMercato claims PSG are readying a bid for Lyon's 19-year-old winger Rayan Cherki. PSG have previously tabled two bids for him.

– Lyon are also set to lose 22-year-old Brazilian winger Tete who will join Leicester City until the end of the season, reports The Sun. West Ham, Brentford and Leeds United were also interested in Tete.

Marcus Rashford's scintillating form comes from "just confidence" and not the influence of Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, who joked: "I'm not Harry Potter".

The England international scored his 18th goal of the season amid a routine 3-0 EFL Cup semi-final first-leg victory at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.

Only Erling Haaland (31) has netted more than Rashford among Premier League players in all competitions this term, though Ten Hag says he has had little influence on the United forward's development.

"I'm not Harry Potter," the Dutchman said ahead of Saturday's fourth-round FA Cup clash at home to Reading.

"It's just confidence. Every player has to make and get his own confidence.

"He fought for this, he invested in this. Of course with my coaching staff, we bring in structures, especially in the way of play that gives him routines that he needs to get into the right position.

"But finally, it's up to him, and when the player has the confidence then I'm convinced, in the way we are working – the way of play is most important but the environment and the culture are also important – then the player can perform at his best.

"It's obvious that Marcus is in really good form. From day to day, from training to training, from game to game, the routines are coming in."

Rashford has found the net 10 times after the World Cup, in which England fell to quarter-final elimination against France in Qatar.

Harry Maguire was another to impress in the Middle East for Gareth Southgate's side, but opportunities remain limited on club duty at Old Trafford.

A potential move to Unai Emery's Aston Villa was reported for Maguire, who Ten Hag urged to fight for a starting role at United amid competition from Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof. Luke Shaw has also been used at centre-back.

"No, he's not fifth choice,” he said about Maguire. "But it's up to him.

"I have to say he's training very well, bringing quality, and that is what I expect from all the players in the squad.

"He has to fight for his position and things can change, sometimes really quickly. He is making progress."

An FA Cup clash against Championship side Reading may present Maguire with an opportunity to feature from the start, though Ten Hag refuted claims he does not trust the centre-back in big matches.

He said: "That's not true. After the World Cup he should have played but then he got ill. I can't do anything about that and he knows that. Then the team comes in a run [of form] and he has to wait for his chance."

LaLiga finds itself in the rather awkward position where it wants the competition to be competitive internally while also desperate for the 'big two' to remain the behemoths they are, because Real Madrid and Barcelona are good for business.

President Javier Tebas insists LaLiga is, in sporting terms, the most competitive league in the world, something he believes is proven by the performances of Spanish teams in Europe over the past 20 years or so.

To his credit, the incredibly divisive figure of Tebas has done plenty of good for Spanish football. In general it is far more financially stable than when he was elected in 2013, and the centralised sale of TV broadcast rights has levelled the playing field a little more.

Fairly or not, though, there are many who feel that there only being two – or three in some years – teams capable of winning the league shows its lack of competitiveness.

But when a club does rise above the rabble, the financial disparity between Real Madrid and Barcelona and the rest makes the achievement of simply challenging all the more impressive.

This time it's Real Sociedad, and on Sunday they could make a statement.

La Real out to put the big boys on notice

The omens aren't great.

Real Madrid have lost only one of their last 15 LaLiga home games against La Real (W12 D2), the one exception coming in May 2019.

But there's something a bit different about this vintage.

Until the slender 1-0 Copa del Rey defeat to Barcelona at Camp Nou on Thursday, La Real's nine-match winning streak across all competitions was the best such run they have managed since returning to LaLiga for the 2010-11 season.

Sitting third heading into the weekend, La Real are seven points clear of fourth-placed Atletico Madrid and already look near-certainties for the Champions League.

Defeat to Barca in the week was undoubtedly a setback, but it provided yet more evidence of them not being easy to beat.

The fact their 38 points from 18 matches is just two shy of a club record set in the 2002-03 season – more on that team later – highlights just how impressive they've been generally.

Yet, it doesn't tell the whole story. Imanol Alguacil has overseen this start to the campaign despite losing Alexander Isak to Newcastle United and then seeing his replacement Umar Sadiq succumb to a serious knee injury – from which he still hasn't recovered – after playing just 82 minutes for his new club.

The neat and intelligent Martin Zubimendi thrives in defensive midfield; 36-year-old David Silva continues to defy his age as the number 10; Robin Le Normand has developed into one of the most under-rated centre-backs in the league; Brais Mendez has taken their midfield to a new level; and Alexander Sorloth – who once scored no Premier League goals in a year at Crystal Palace and netted just four all last season for La Real – is the unlikely talisman up top.

The big Norwegian has scored eight goals, none of which have been penalties, in LaLiga. Only Robert Lewandowski (13) has more, while Sorloth ranks third for non-penalty expected goals (xG) with 6.0.

We can't call it a title challenge yet. They are still six points behind Barca having played a game more than the Blaugrana.

But with just over half the season still to go, La Real find themselves in position to pounce should Xavi's side let up – providing they can retain their own momentum.

Win at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday and everyone else will begin to take them a little more seriously as well.

Two points from immortality

La Real have been here before.

Their flirt with the title in the 2002-03 season is probably the best example of a so-close-yet-so-far tale in modern Spanish football.

It effectively came out of nowhere, too.

Four successive seasons of mid-table obscurity had offered no hint of what was to come, and what followed that campaign made it all seem like a farfetched dream.

La Real pushed a Madrid side that included Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Roberto Carlos to the wire, even beating them 4-2 at Anoeta to reinvigorate their campaign after a chastening derby defeat to Athletic Bilbao in late 2002 was followed by something of a blip.

The Basques headed into the final three games of the season knowing nine points would secure the rarest of title wins.

They had risen to most challenges to that point. Their little-and-large striker duo of Darko Kovacevic and Nihat Kahveci plundered goals at will, racking up 43 between them; Xabi Alonso gave them almost ceaseless control in midfield; Valery Karpin and Javier de Pedro provided ammunition from the flanks.

But it couldn't have been a shock that a team without a league title since 1982 crumbled in the end. A draw at home to Valencia was followed by defeat to Celta Vigo in Galicia, while Madrid beat Atletico Madrid.

La Real's win over Los Colchoneros on the final day of the season was insufficient to keep hopes alive as Madrid comfortably saw off Athletic.

It was a valiant effort, with La Real edged out by two points when all was said and done, but it was not the start of a prosperous new era. What followed was four seasons of dicing with relegation, the last ultimately claiming them and leading to three campaigns in the second tier.

The difference this time? Stability, consistency. The past six years have essentially confirmed La Real as a top-half team, finishing sixth or higher four times, including in each of the last three.

Imanol has been in charge for those three, moulding La Real into a highly organised, high-pressing and dynamic side. But their institutional excellence goes deeper than that, with synergy a key priority from top to bottom, hence how 15 members of the first-team squad have come up through the academy or the B team. Make that 16 if you include the coach himself.

In all likelihood, La Real probably won't get that close to becoming the first team to upset the established order of the historical 'big three' since Valencia in 2004. Barcelona and Real Madrid are still too big for most to really go toe-to-toe with over a 38-game season, regardless of Tebas' changes.

But with arguably a far more talented squad than 20 years ago, La Real are much better equipped to at least make title challenges a regular dream.