5 pivotal moments that have seen Barcelona leave Real Madrid behind in the last 10 years

Whether Real Madrid fans like it or not, their fiercest rivals Barcelona have wiped the floor with them, and just about everyone else over the past decade.The ‘age of Messi’ has certainly coincided with some of the most incredible numbers ever seen from a club side, both in terms of trophies and matches won by the Catalans.Try as they might, Los Blancos have never really come close to overtaking the Blaugrana. Pockets of success are as good as it gets for the team from the capital.Let’s take a look at five pivotal moments that have seen Barca leave Real trailing in their slipstream:

#1 The influence of Ronaldinho

Although Ronaldinho arrived at the club in 2003, after a failed bid by Joan Laporta to sign David Beckham, his influence would be felt right across the team over the course of the next few seasons.

A first league title in six years was a direct result of the Brazilian’s artistry. Who can forget the way he destroyed Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2005. Even the Madridistas stood up to applaud – a gesture that is only reserved for the very best opponents.

A long awaited second Champions League trophy, 14 years after Barca’s first at Wembley, was also orchestrated by Ronaldinho. Although he was relatively quiet in the final, he’d written his name all over the competition in the preceeding rounds.

Lionel Messi has credited for the former number 10 with taking him under his wing and handing out some of the best advice the little Argentinian has received to date.

Certainly there’s been a very definite upward trajectory at the club ever since the magician took his first steps at Camp Nou and despite the way in which he left the club, Barca owed Ronaldinho Gaucho a huge debt of gratitude.

#2 Florentino Perez\'s return to power at Real Madrid

He just can’t help himself can he.

The megalomanical Florentino Perez has done Real Madrid more harm than good during his second coming and only now are the locals beginning to cotton on.

Why on earth would you sack the man – Carlo Ancelotti – that has not long ago brought you a coveted 10th Champions League (La Decima) and also in the process become statistically the best manager that Real have ever had?

Purely on the strength of Barcelona winning another treble.

Why would you then hire Rafael Benitez, only to dispense with his services in the first half of the season, and hand the reins to an ex-player who’s had no previous experience at the top level and is certainly no Pep Guardiola?

Benitez had hinted at the unrest behind the scenes at the club with Perez looking to involve himself in every aspect of the day to day running of the side.

Until he goes, Real will always find themselves well behind a harmonious Blaugrana.

#3 The hiring of Pep Guardiola

2008 was the year when things really kickstarted for Barca.

The choice of hiring an untried manager at the top level in Pep Guardiola, rather than the tried and tested Jose Mourinho, turned out to be a master-stroke.

In hindsight, it really couldn’t have worked out any better.

Frank Rijkaard had laid the foundations but it was Pep, one of Barca’s favourite son’s who ran with the baton. A first season treble was beyond everyone’s wildest expectations, ditto the eventual sextuple.

One of the most complete performances was reserved for Barca’s visit to the Santiago Bernabeu where the 2-6 final result in the Catalans favour placed Pep’s team on a pedestal all of their own.

They were then, and remained throughout his tenure, magnificent.

Perhaps never better than a November night in 2010 at Camp Nou, when an unbeaten Real then coached by Mourinho, were taken apart 5-0 in what has been noted by many as being the best club performance of all time.

#4 MSN

Lionel Messi Luis Suarez Neymar — The best front three in football history

The best front three in world football. The best front three in football history.

Both statements are accurate whether you happen to be a follower of the Blaugrana or not.

Since Luis Suarez’s debut in October of 2014, taking into account the Uruguayan missed two months of that season, and Lionel Messi has already missed two months of this, ‘MSN’ have still, incredibly, amassed over 200 goals and a plethora of assists between them.

Think about that for a moment. It has taken just 17 months to amass almost 250 goals. The trio have already scored 103 in this season alone and look well on course to break their own record from last season, with two months still left of La Liga.

Regardless of whether the three remain friends or not, the way that each dovetails and complements the other is footballing perfection. The rapier-like winger, the modern twist on an old-fashioned centre-forward and the extraordinary playmaker.

An intoxicating and hugely successful mix.

All the while Barca can call on this trio, Real Madrid don’t have a hope of wrestling the status quo away from them.

#5 The FIFA transfer ban

Who’d have thought that such a draconian measure by FIFA, world football's governing body, would have such a galvanizing effect on Barcelona?!

An 18-month transfer ban meant that the Catalans would need to get by with the players already in situ and make do and mend during the period.

A small loophole allowed them to complete seven signings before the ruling was made final and that arguably helped Barca enjoy their subsequent successes.

Even so, to then go out and romp to a treble and be sitting pretty at the top of the league again by the end of the punishment has taken some doing by the club.

If anything, the sanction gave rise to a siege mentality from Barca. Nowhere to go, they simply had to stick together and all pull in the same direction. Even one player pulling the opposite way could’ve been catastrophic for the Blaugrana.

As it turned out, Barcelona were far more together than a fractures Real Madrid during the same period – and it’ll shortly be Los Blancos turn to undergo the same rigorous assessment of their credentials.