*TOOP Portal*: After Barcelona's third successive league defeat,Real have chance to win la liga

Valencia's trip to the Nou Camp seemingly presented Barca with the perfect platform to put their midweek Champions League exit behind them, but they once again looked incredibly lacklustre as they slumped to a 2-1 home defeat on Sunday night.



    

Real Madrid delivered a ruthless 5-1 win against Getafe on Saturday, a victory full of the renewed hope and optimism that has surrounded the club since the Clasico victory at Camp Nou.

That loss began a collapse for Barcelona and has given Los Blancos the opportunity to fight for the league title and Champions League.

A Real team that had been distracted and inconsistent in previous months now plays with an energy and force and Zinedine Zidane's side have thrashed many opponents, guaranteeing satisfaction for the expectant Madrid public.

They've now recovered their competitive appetite and entered Saturday's game at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez with the best attitude to terrorise Los Azulones.

Getafe had only put together a few passes before the electric football began to flow against them.

Rarely has such a gulf in class been seen in La Liga, the succession of moves and shots in Los Blancos' favour so apparent that the win was wrapped up without a sweat.

Juan Esnaider's 4-2-4 lineup was dispatched emphatically by Real who found plenty of space in midfield and every attack seemed destined to end with a goal.

The Argentine coach reverted to 4-4-2 but to no avail as the hosts sat back and invited pressure from Cristiano Ronaldo and Co.

At times, the match was little more than a workout for Zidane's men, but a great workout none the less.

Esnaider knew from the first minute that he faced a significant problem, not only with Real but with his side rooted to the bottom of the league table.

Getafe's resistance to defeat was admirable, at best.

James Rodriguez, Gareth Bale, Isco, and Karim Benzema all enjoyed good performances, Ronaldo too, although he had to wait 92 minutes to add his 31st league goal of the season to his collection.

Zidane ordered several changes from the midweek win against Wolfsburg, withdrawing Benzema, Bale and Dani Carvajal during the game.

The coach will need a similar approach if he is to mastermind a remarkable end to the season, a campaign that could end with two trophies.