Page last updated at 22:09 GMT, Thursday, 11 December 2008
The tide turns again as Barca go clear
Barcelona sacked manager Frank Rijkaard in the summer and packed Ronaldinho off to AC Milan, starting afresh under new coach and club legend Josep Guardiola.
They have been in sensational form up until now - Samuel Eto'o scoring 14 league goals in 13 games and the dazzling Lionel Messi in electric form, too.
Real spent the summer fruitlessly chasing Cristiano Ronaldo, David Villa and Santi Cazorla and then, as the transfer window shut, Robinho left for Manchester City.
A plethora of injuries to crucial players has not helped and Real already find themselves nine points behind their arch enemy.
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