Barça needed just 6 games to get back to the top of the table and ahead of this weekend’s international break they are again leading the Spanish League. They have done so after some potentially tough games, against Villarreal, Valencia or Atletico Madrid and their aim now is to keep their noses ahead of the pack for the rest of the season-something they have managed over the last three campaigns.

2010/11 season

Last season, Guardiola’s men reached the top spot after 13 games – and they did do with that unforgettable 5-0 win over Real Madrid on Monday November 29th which kicked Mourinho’s team off the top. That’s where Barça stayed all season to take their third consecutive title.

2009/10 season

Goals from Ibrahimovic and Messi at Getafe gave Barça a win that left them top after just two weeks, alongside Valencia, Madrid and Bilbao. The duel with Madrid was an intense one and the two swapped the top spot until week 31 when the 0-2 win at the Bernabeu sent the title to the Camp Nou.

2008/09 season

In Guardiola’s first year in charge, the team beat Malaga on a rainy evening in November on the Costa del Sol to take the top spot where they stayed for the rest of the season.