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Pep's toughest challenge yet?

Currently sitting seven points behind Real Madrid in the league, Pep Guardiola is experiencing his worse season at Barça since he took the reigns in 2008. Madrid's consistency home and away this season has shone a bright spotlight on Barcelona's fragile away form and Mourinho's men are now favourites to claim the title.

Last season Barcelona only dropped points on eight occasions, those being two defeats and six draws, and earned themselves their 21st La Liga title. Meanwhile this season they have already dropped points on seven occasions with eighteen games left to play. Worryingly for Guardiola, Madrid have dropped points on three times this season compared to last season's nine.

Many have hailed this Barça side as the greatest side in the world, maybe ever. But José's genius may have finally toppled the Champions. To accomplish the impossible and claim back a seven point deficit would surely seal their names in the history books at the best ever.

A seven point lead may not seem such a huge quandary in a normal league, but La Liga is far from normal. In the same way Rangers and Celtic dominate the Scottish league, Barcelona and Real Madrid are expected to run away with the Spanish title. In previous years the gap between the top two and the rest of the year has rarely been below five, with last year's gap finishing at twenty one points.

So it's hard to see where Madrid will slip up and barring a major self-implosion, it would appear plain sailing for Mourinho. But isn't it situations like this where Barça shine the brightest? Where Messi becomes that little bit more amazing? And Guardiola discovers the key to stopping Madrid?

Season after season Barcelona have faced the challenge of Madrid and brushed them aside with grace. Guardiola knows not to rely on other teams to break Madrid but to do it themselves during every Clásico. Madrid are well known as having team unity issues and those issues are amplified around Clásicos.

Barcelona simply outclass Madrid every time, even when Madrid plays dirty they can not stop Lionel Messi and friends. Mourinho can describe his players as "machines" but Guardiola and every Cule knows one strong Clásico win is enough to send Madrid into meltdown.

Having already dumped Madrid out of the Copa del Rey, Barcelona and Real Madrid are likely to face each other again in the Champions League. So how can Mourinho claim to be managing a team of winners but continue to lose time after time in the game that the whole world watches?

Ronaldo and co. are surely aware of this too. Another league Clásico is to come and Barcelona are favourites to take the three points and by then Guardiola will hope the gap will be smaller then seven points, giving them a clear shot at the title.

Not only do Barcelona beat Madrid on the field they are beating Madrid off the pitch too. Barcelona are showing the world their tiki-taka style and the world is loving every minute of it. Branded as "total football", the phrase "study Xavi" is becoming more and more popular.

This has got to affect the minds of Madrid players, whether they show it or not. It's there. Lying under the surface is the jealously of the fabled club that is Barcelona. The annoyance at their continued defeat at the hands of the Catalans.

This will be Guardiola's main weapon. Barcelona remain mentally strong and every player still believes that they can retain their title because they've see it and done it before. Rising from the depths of defeat to snatch the title from Mourinho's hand.

The season is not over yet by any means. There is still a Champions League to be fought for and Barcelona are strong favourites for the Copa del Rey. Although you can not escape it, this is Guardiola's toughest challenge to date but you can not be daring enough to rule out the "greatest team ever."

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