A month ago Real Madrid looked invincible as they opened up a nine-point lead at the top of the Primera Liga on the back of an eight-match winning streak in the league.

But the wheels have come off the bandwagon recently, starting with an unexpected 2-0 defeat away to promoted Almeria on Feb.2.

Real looked to have recovered with a 7-0 demolition of Valladolid in front of their own fans but there followed a 2-1 defeat at Real Betis and then a 1-0 home reverse to Getafe on Sunday, which ended their 100 percent league record at the Bernabeu.

To make matters worse, Getafe’s goal was comical.

Winger Arjen Robben thought he had scored for Real midway through the second half. A large number of players ran to the corner to celebrate with him despite the fact that the linesman’s flag was up and the referee had not awarded a goal.

Seeing his chance, visiting defender David Belenguer took a quick free kick to launch a four-against-two counter-attack that ended with Nigeria striker Ikechukwu Uche beating Iker Casillas.

Taking into account Real’s exit from the King’s Cup in January, when they lost home and away to Real Mallorca, and their 2-1 defeat at AS Roma in the Champions League last week, that adds up to six defeats from their last 10 matches in all competitions.

A string of injuries in defence have not helped but it is upfront where they have lost their spark. Compared to earlier games they now create more chances, but are failing to put them away.

“We are only having problems with our results, not with our play or fitness,” Italy defender Fabio Cannavaro said on Monday. “It is difficult to repeat what we did in the first half of the season (when they only dropped eight points). Our lead is now only two points and maybe the pressure will serve us well.”

Second-placed Barcelona have kept plugging away during this time are now within touching distance of the champions. Their last two performances in particular, when they twice came from behind to beat Celtic 3-2 away in the Champions League and the 5-1 home win over Levante on Sunday, suggest the Catalans are hitting top gear.

They are unbeaten in 14 matches in all competitions, and with Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o and Argentina livewire Lionel Messi firing on all cylinders again, Barca look to have regained the hunger that appeared to be missing earlier in the campaign.

Are Barca set to take a leaf out of Real Madrid’s book from last season and overhaul their arch-rivals in the title run-in? Or is Bernd Schuster capable of tightening up Real’s performances again?

The meeting between the sides at the Bernabeu in May promises to be a true title-decider, with two games left to play after that.

Mark Elkington, Madrid