Cristiano Ronaldo's scintillating form and the supporting role played by the likes of Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema suggest Real Madrid have every right to believe a rare treble is well within their grasp.
"C'est fini". With those few words in French a tearful Iker Casillas brought to an end his farewell statement on Sunday to the Real Madrid fans he has served as first-team goalkeeper and captain for 16 seasons.
Midfielder Santi Cazorla gave the home side the lead in the fourth minute of the game, which was rescheduled due to Real's participation in last month's Club World Cup, by bending a wonderful shot into the bottom corner.
Holders Real Madrid chased away some of their early-season blues when Gareth Bale scored the pick of the goals in a 5-1 rout of FC Basel in their Champions League Group B opener on Tuesday.
Barcelona came within a whisker of an improbable comeback after last month's thrashing, with 18-year-old midfielder Marc Bernal, starting in place of the injured Frenkie De Jong, scoring in each half and Raphinha converting a penalty after Pedri was fouled.
Cristiano Ronaldo shrugged off the boos of his own supporters to fire Real Madrid to a 3-0 win over Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Gareth Bale made up for the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo by scoring twice to inspire Real Madrid to come from two goals down and win 3-2 at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday. Real managed to edge to the top of the table despite Ronaldo missing his first league game of the season with a muscle strain although they also suffered another scare before their Champions League semi-final next week with a suspected injury to Karim Benzema. Real had found themselves two behind within 14 minutes as Adrian Embarba scored from close range in the seventh minute before Rayo's Venezuelan striker Miku pounced on more poor defending from the visitors. Bale started the revival, heading in from a 35th minute corner before Zinedine Zidane's side drew level six minutes after the break through substitute Lucas Vazquez. Welshman Bale then completed the comeback nine minutes from time, collecting a misplaced pass from a Rayo defender before powering the ball past goalkeeper Juan Carlos.
Real Madrid's Spanish record 22-match winning streak ended in a 2-1 La Liga defeat at Valencia on Sunday with Nicolas Otamendi heading in the second-half winner.
"According to the report issued from the city hall in Vigo, they consider that the Balaidos stadium is not safe for spectators or for players to attend the game on Sunday," said a statement from La Liga.
Xavi slams Real Madrid over Casillas exit
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.
Morocco eventually got the party underway but relief was the overriding emotion on Sunday as they overcame tiny Comoros 2-0 in the opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Tottenham Hotspur reached agreement to sign Argentine forward Erik Lamela from AS Roma for a club record fee of 35 million euros ($46.29 million) on Friday and also welcomed Romanian defender Vlad Chiriches.
A Cristiano Ronaldo header set Real Madrid on their way to a 4-0 win at home to 10-man Racing Santander on Saturday that stretched their advantage over second-placed Barcelona at the top of La Liga to 13 points.
Some of the key head-to-heads in the "Clasico" between La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Nou Camp on Monday night.
That was also Messi's 500th goal for Barcelona.
Carlo Ancelotti's side were then reduced to 10 men in the 79th minute when Vinicius Jr was shown a straight red card for slapping Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.
It looks like Real Madrid are getting ready for another big buy, and another one from Old Trafford at that. After Cristiano Ronaldo, who they purchased in a world-record 80 million deal last summer, Nemanja Vidic is right up on their shopping list.
Real Madrid brushed off the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to beat Espanyol 2-0 away and maintain their 100 per cent start to the league season while matching the La Liga record of 16 consecutive victories.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
'I'm not asking them to name streets after me, the only thing I ask is that they don't boo me here'
Barcelona took a giant stride towards a third straight La Liga title when they drew 1-1 at 10-man Real Madrid on Saturday to preserve their eight-point lead over their arch rivals at the top with six games left.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Jose Mourinho dismissed speculation linking him with a return to Real Madrid, on Monday, saying he wants to stay on as Manchester United manager beyond his current contract.
'He said sorry, he's not happy with the red card, but it's over now. These things happen and we can't chance it, but with 10 men we still managed to equalise'
In other matches, super-sub Messi helped Barca romp past Atletico
Real fought back after a calamitous own goal from keeper Keylor Navas gave Betis the lead in the 25th minute, just after the Costa Rican escaped a possible red card. Cristiano Ronaldo pulled the hosts level in the 41st with a diving header.
Real Madrid were the big winners in Spain as their success at Almeria was followed by a Barcelona draw and a surprise Atletico Madrid defeat.
Kylian Mbappe could not have anticipated a better start to his Real Madrid career as he scored a debut goal to help his new team win the European Super Cup.
Gareth Bale completed a dream first season at Real Madrid as he paid off another large slice of his world record price tag with the decisive goal in a 4-1 Champions League final triumph over Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Real Madrid are on the verge of reaching the King's Cup quarter-finals after winning 3-0 at Numancia on Thursday while holders Barcelona still have work to do after being held to a 1-1 draw at Celta Vigo.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has hinted the world's richest club by income could buy Monaco's Colombia striker Radamel Falcao next year.
Kylian Mbappe's second-half penalty earned Real Madrid a hard-fought 1-0 home victory over Osasuna in their opening LaLiga game of the season
IMAGES from football matches played on Monday.
Real Madrid thrashed Deportivo La Coruna 6-2 to stay level with Barcelona at the top of La Liga on Wednesday after the Catalans crushed Osasuna 7-1, condemning the minnows to relegation.
A toothless and haggard Real Madrid slumped to a humiliating 10th Liga defeat of the season on Sunday as they lost 1-0 at struggling neighbours Rayo Vallecano.
Gareth Bale struck his first Real Madrid hat-trick and set up another goal in a thumping 4-0 La Liga victory over Real Valladolid on Saturday.
Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal progressed to the FA Cup quarter-finals after victories over Newcastle United, Wrexham and Mansfield Town respectively on Saturday.
Juventus striker Carlos Tevez scored a second-half penalty as the hosts beat holders Real Madrid 2-1 in the Champions League semi-final, first leg, on Tuesday.
Yet for all of his 451 goals in all competitions and the silverware he helped amass, Ronaldo's time at the Bernabeu was fraught with moments of high tension leading to Tuesday's announcement that he was joining the Italian champions.
