Rejuvenated Real Madrid now out to start scoring goals
It has not gone unnoticed in Spain that the four goals Real Madrid put past Roma in the Champions League equalled their tally in five league matches after one of their worst starts to a domestic campaign for many years.
It has not gone unnoticed in Spain that the four goals Real Madrid put past Roma in the Champions League equalled their tally in five league matches after one of their worst starts to a domestic campaign for many years.
Real Madrid currently lie eighth with nine points, thanks to a trio of 1-0 wins, two of them coming thanks to goals from David Beckham free kicks, but the 29-times Spanish champions hope to turn the corner against a struggling Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.
"I'm convinced we can maintain this positive streak," said Real captain Raul Gonzalez, the author of two goals in the 4-2 win over Roma.
Raul was back to his old self on Tuesday, reviving memories of when he used to score with abandon. He has found the net 166 times in his 11 year career in the Spanish first division but has not scored a single goal since March.
"But I think I have refound my touch," added a relieved Raul after Tuesday's display.
It is a good job that Raul is ready to step into the breach because the ever-prolific Ronaldo is highly doubtful after acquiring a right thigh strain against the Italians.
Real coach Mariano Garcia Remon is likely to opt for Spanish international striker Fernando Morientes if the Brazilian World Cup winner fails a fitness test on Saturday.
Deportivo, who have not finished a season lower than third for the last five years, have problems of their own after a poor start with just one win to their name.
The Galicians, who made last season's Champions League semi-finals before narrowly going out to the eventual winners Porto, languish down in 14th.
"We are more worried about what we are going to do rather then Real Madrid. We have to improve, and improve quickly," admitted Deportivo's Portuguese international defender Jorge Andrade.
Two teams with fewer concerns are league leaders Valencia and second-placed Barcelona, who coincedently finished last season in the same order.
The pair are unbeaten on 13 points and three points clear of five teams grouped together on 10 points, led by early surprise package Espanyol.
Valencia have pole position on the basis of having scored more goals, and nobody in the Spanish first division has scored more than their 14, with many pundits expecting them to add to their numbers at Real Betis on Saturday.
Sadly for coach Claudio Ranieri's aspirations for his team to maintain their place at the top of the Spanish first division, his inspirational left winger Vicente Rodriguez will be out for two weeks with a sprained left ankle, an injury sustained in Bremen.
Barcelona are poised to take advantage if Valencia slip up in Seville, with an apparently easy home fixture against newly-promoted Numancia, who have never beaten Barca on the previous occasions they have been in the top flight of Spanish football.
African Player of the Year Samuel Eto'o has quickly hit top form with two goals apiece in Barca's last two league games, as well as another in Wednesday's 3-0 Champions League win against Shakhtar Donetsk.
"I'm going to score plenty more goals this season but more important that getting the title of the year's top scorer is what the team does," warned Eto'o, hinting that the likes of Ronaldinho and Henrik Larsson were waiting in the wings if he didn't find the net on Sunday.