This could well be the league to watch over the coming weeks with some interesting derby matches approaching as the top teams clash.
Spain
Our featured match this week took us to the home of Real Madrid the magnificent Bernabau Stadium. Real Madrid v Villareal.
Visiting club, Villareal have often proved hard to break down and it was destined to be a tough match for Real in front of their increasingly edgy supporters.
Top team Barcelona turned up the heat the previous evening by safely disposing of Mallorca at the Nou Camp by winning 3-1. Ex Arsenal striker Thierry Henry was on the mark again for Barca who are now an impressive 11 points clear with the cushion of an incredible plus 40 goal difference.
Following Juande Ramos’s appointment the Madrid giants have been busy in the transfer market. In a deal that was already arranged some time back, Ajax captain, the free scoring Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Hunterlaar made the move to Madrid and made his eagerly anticipated debut. His signing would appear to be intended to provide Real with a central striker in Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s enforced absence through injury. Portsmouth’s Lassana Diarra has also been drafted in to add some much needed ball winning skills in midfield.
It quickly became apparent that this was the type of game that would be decided by 
something special. That player was without doubt Dutch International winger Arjen Robben. He was in simply outstanding form giving both visiting full back’s a torrid time passing them time and time again.
His old club Chelsea must be deeply regretting allowing him to move on in the way that they did and underlined that by only managing a 1-1 home draw to lowly Southend in the FA Cup. Their reasoning was that Robben suffered from too many injuries - quite how good he is when he is fit then, I don't know!
Robben’s confidence was on a high and on 32 minutes he darted in from the right hand wing before hitting a truly unstoppable shot into the Villareal net to make it 1-0 to Real Madrid. It was a moment to savour in a toughly fought encounter where skill often gave way to the odd crunching tackle.
Robben though couldn’t be caught and continued to cause major problems as Real held on to win the match by virtue of his goal. Ramos substituted the star of the match late on thus enabling his virtuoso performance to be acknowledged by the huge crowd. Real Madrid 1 Villareal 0
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