Real Madrid have moved to broaden their options in attack by agreeing to sign Mexico striker Javier Hernandez on loan from Manchester United for the 2014-15 season.
Real Madrid saw off a stirring Chelsea fightback to book their place in the Champions League semi-finals following a 3-2 defeat after extra time in a scintillating second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday to go through 5-4 on aggregate.
Real are on 81 points with four games to go. They are 17 points ahead of nearest rivals Sevilla.
The Portuguese forward, who also scored a treble in the quarter-final against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu, and five goals across that tie, is revelling in the central striker's role he has adopted this season.
Here, Reuters Sport highlights five reasons why last season's double winners have collapsed.
A tap-in by Karim Benzema and a powerful strike by substitute Marco Asensio earned European champions Real Madrid a 2-0 win over 10-man Chelsea.
Real Madrid forwards Marco Asensio and Karim Benzema struck to give their side a 2-0 win at home to Eibar in La Liga
Cristiano Ronaldo fired Real Madrid to a 4-1 win over Celta Vigo on Wednesday to take Zinedine Zidane's side three points clear at the top of La Liga.
Real Madrid secured a club record 16th straight victory when Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale struck in a laboured 2-1 win at Malaga on Saturday that put them five points clear of second-placed Barcelona in La Liga.
Philippe Coutinho scored his first league goal since returning to Barcelona to help his side draw 1-1 at home to an excellent Sevilla side in La Liga on Sunday.
Real Madrid star striker Cristiano Ronaldo has extended his apology to teammates for his controversial remark that the club would be at the top of La Liga if every player was on his level.
Liverpool came into Saturday's Champions League final against Real Madrid on a wave of confidence but Zinedine Zidane's side showed exactly why they are the masters of Europe's top club competition in their 3-1 win.
Spanish media has reported that Solari, 42, is to be relieved of his duties
Kevin De Bruyne netted a stunning equaliser with a rasping low strike to give Manchester City a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid
A court on Friday confirmed an easing of restrictions on the movements of Karim Benzema, the French striker at the centre of a sex tape blackmail investigation.
Karim Benzema scored twice in the second half as Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad 4-1 to go four points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday.
The injury list in the La Liga keeps growing as the season progresses and this time Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale are the unfortunate victims...
Real Madrid closed to within two points of La Liga leaders Barcelona after demolishing nine-man Rayo Vallecano 10-2 while Atletico Madrid missed a chance to seize top spot outright by losing 1-0 at Malaga.
Seven times reigning winner Lionel Messi was not nominated for this year's Ballon d'Or for the first time since 2005 and nor was his Paris Saint-Germain team mate Neymar.
Pepe opened the scoring for Real with a looping header that flew past Jan Oblak in the 52nd minute and it looked like the hosts would earn three points to move five clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
Bayern edge closer to Bundesliga title after win at Arminia
Cristiano Ronaldo may have played his last game for Real Madrid after winning a fourth Champions League crown with the Spanish side in a 3-1 victory over Liverpool on Saturday, saying he would soon make an announcement on his future.
It will be "immensely difficult" for Real Madrid to improve their squad but they still plan to make more signings in the close season, new coach Rafa Benitez said.
Real Madrid extended their unbeaten run to 25 matches and rejoined Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga when Jese, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric scored in a 3-0 win at Getafe on Sunday.
Real Madrid paid more than 200 million euros ($227.76 million) to assemble their forward line of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, but the attacking trio failed them again in Wednesday's Champions League exit to Juventus.
France striker Karim Benzema is set to join Real Madrid from Olympique Lyon after the two clubs reached agreement, French radio RMC said on Wednesday. A few details, notably salary and the length of his contract, still needed to be settled, RMC said, quoting Benzema's agent.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane shrugged off his first setback since taking over from the sacked Rafa Benitez after his new team could only manage a 1-1 draw at Real Betis in La Liga.
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has left midfielder Xabi Alonso and forward Karim Benzema out of his squad for Saturday's La Liga game at bottom side Deportivo La Coruna as they continue their recuperation from minor injuries.
Real Madrid opened a two-point lead over Villarreal at the top of La Liga when Cristiano Ronaldo set a club scoring record in a 3-0 stroll at home to Levante on Saturday.
'Cristiano scored 50 goals and you can't find someone today who scores that many. Some of us have to take a step forward and, while not scoring 50, what we need is two or three players who score 15, 20, or 10 goals and we don't have that.'
With no fans allowed into venues and Real playing their home games at the 6,000-capacity Alfredo Di Stefano stadium while the Santiago Bernabeu is being refurbished, it will be a title race unlike any other.
Paris St Germain had a chance to extend their Ligue 1 lead to five points after RC Lens drew 1-1 at Troyes and Olympique de Marseille and Monaco shared the spoils on Saturday.
Real Madrid won the Club World Cup for the first time by beating San Lorenzo 2-0 on Saturday with goals from Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale after being forced into a scrap by the feisty South Americans.
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema will lodge a complaint for violation of judicial confidentiality after French radio Europe 1 published extracts of phone taps that could incriminate the France international, his lawyer said on Tuesday.
There was no information about the value of items stolen.
Real Madrid returned to winning ways after last weekend's drubbing at Atletico but failed to convince and were whistled by their own fans during a drab 2-0 victory at home to Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday.
Manchester City marched into the quarter-finals of the Champions League
Karim Benzema cemented his return to form with his second hat-trick of the month and Cristiano Ronaldo also netted three goals as Real Madrid crushed lowly Levante 8-0 in their King's Cup last-16 first leg on Wednesday.
Karim Benzema and Kaka guided a weakened Real Madrid to a 4-1 win at third-tier Alcoyano in a King's Cup last-32 first leg on Wednesday.
Gareth Bale was once again subjected to whistling from a section of the Bernabeu crowd.
