Well, there is now absolutely no doubt about who is going to win the La Liga this year.
Barcelona went 13 points clear of Real Madrid following a 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid, after their biggest rivals could only draw against Espanyol.
The win on Sunday also meant they stretched their lead from second-placed Atletico to nine points, with Lionel Messi scoring his 89th and 90th goals of the calendar year.
The much-anticipated duel between La Liga's top scorers - Messi and Radamel Falcao - went the Barca's magician's way, even though it was the Atletico striker who opened the scoring in the game on the half-hour mark.
However, a stunning strike from Adriano five minutes later and a Sergio Busquets goal just before halftime gave the Catalans a lead they hardly deserved.
"Adriano's goal was very important, it was very difficult for us at first to break through, and that's largely due Atletico's brilliant performance," Barca manager Tito Vilanova said after the game. "The goal gave us morale and from that point on we carried the initiative of the match."
Messi, then put the game to bed with two goals of his own, which is basically the norm these days, to as good as end the title challenge of Atletico.
"We've won a lot of points, but it hasn't been easy," Vilanova added. "We've had to battle back to win games and perhaps we won't be able to do that in the future. La Liga is not easy, and it certainly isn't boring.
"In my first year (2008/09) we were 12 points back and we had to go to the Bernabeu and play for the title. Now, there's a team that's only nine points behind us.
"I don't think that this title is ours to lose. If there is a team that has the capacity to win a lot of points, and they overtake us, then they deserve the title. It happened in 2009 and it could happen again."
Meanwhile, at the Bernabeu Real Madrid threw away their chance of keeping the pressure on Barcelona, by playing out a tame 2-2 draw with lowly Espanyol.
Sergio Garcia gave Espanyol a deserved lead in the first half, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Fabio Coentrao turning the scores around courtesy two quickfire goals.
However, just when the La Liga champions needed to push on and finish off Espanyol, Real were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal, with the away side scoring the equalizer two minutes from time.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho admitted the title defense was pretty much over for his side. "I think it is almost impossible," the Portuguese said. "Thirteen seems too great a gap to close. What we have to do is play every match to win without worrying about whether we are first, second or third or whether our direct rivals won or lost.
"We just have to try to improve and win matches. If we improve in the league it will help us improve in the cup and the Champions League. If we want to have a chance in these two competitions we have to be stronger. As with matches these things are cyclical, if you say 'I cannot win the championship and therefore I have no desire to improve in the league,' you are playing against yourself in the other competitions where you have a better chance of winning than the other. It is therefore essential to try to improve."
Results: Getafe 1-1 Osasuna; Mallorca 0-1 Athletic Bilbao; Granada 0-0 Real Sociedad; Sevilla 0-2 Malaga; Real Zaragoza 0-1 Levante; Valencia 0-1 Rayo Vallecano; Real Madrid 2-2 Espanyol; Barcelona 4-1 Atletico Madrid.
