Real Madrid won its 13th straight at home on Saturday and, with Barcelona tying, took the La Liga lead for the first time in more than a year. Rob Hughes reports on the Real resurgence since the return of Florentino Pérez, who was president of Real from 2000 to 2006 and was re-elected last year on a promise to spend whatever it took to buy new Galácticos — his own version of superstar soccer.

A year ago, Barca was on its way to a historic clean sweep of six trophies, including the Spanish, European and FIFA Club World Cup titles. More than that, its soccer was so stylish, so uninhibited, that no team on earth could touch it.

So Perez bought Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká and Xabi Alonso, who are beginning to show what they can do in a squad that already contained Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Gonzalo Higuaín, Raul. Barcelona beat Real, 1-0, at the Camp Nou in their first meeting season and visits the Bernabéu on the second weekend in April. So Madrid controls its destiny.