Madrid - Barcelona are the form team of Europe at the moment, coach Josep Guardiola having found an effective combination of midfield artistry and attacking penetration within four months of taking charge at the Camp Nou. The latest exhibition of the "Pep Team" - called thus after Guardiola's nickname - came in Lisbon on Wednesday, when Barca crushed hapless Sporting 5-2 in the Champions League.
"The best team in Europe right now," was the verdict of radio station Cadena SER after the Lisbon romp.
However, the truth is that the "Pep Team" have not yet faced top-class opposition this season, either in La Liga or in Europe.
Until now, that is.
Barca's next four opponents in the league are Sevilla, Valencia, Real Madrid and Villarreal.
"It will be a difficult month after Lisbon," said the Sport paper.
Barca will go to Sevilla on Saturday without injury victims Gabriel Milito, Eric Abidal and Andres Iniesta.
They are three points clear at the top of La Liga, and five points above inconsistent Sevilla, who are joint fourth with Valencia.
Second-placed Real Madrid also have a difficult away game on Saturday: against a Getafe side which battled out a 1-1 draw away to Barca last Sunday.
Things are calmer at the Estadio Bernabeu than they were a week ago, thanks to the narrow 1-0 wins over BATE Borisov and Recreativo Huelva.
But defeat in Getafe would set the alarm bells ringing again - and throw coach Bernd Schuster back against the ropes.
Schuster is still without Mahamadou Diarra, Ruben de la Red, Arjen Robben, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Gonzalo Higuain.
In addition, Gabriel Heinze will be out for around three weeks after tearing the triceps muscle in his left leg in Minsk.
On Sunday, third-placed Villarreal are away to bottom team Huelva, while Valencia face Betis and Atletico Madrid take on Racing Santander.
In the mid-table, there will be clashes between Valladolid and Mallorca, and between Almeria and Deportivo Coruna.
At the wrong end of the table, Athletic Bilbao take on Numancia and Espanyol face Sporting Gijon, whilst Osasuna - who finally won their first match last Sunday - travel to Malaga.
