El Clasico: Could victory at Camp Nou be an early title clincher for Barcelona?

Cristiano Ronaldo (#7) of Real Madrid

A title-decider in early October?
It seems improbable, but that is what the Spanish football-related media would have you believe about the first La Liga Clasico of the season, when Real Madrid visit the Camp Nou to play Barcelona on Sunday.
After a dismalâ€"by their high standardsâ€"start to the 2012-13 league campaign, Real Madrid trail Barça by eight points, having failed to win in half of their opening six games. Barcelona, by contrast, have a perfect record, having scored a league-high 17 goals in the process.
So is it over already if Barcelona win, and extend their lead to 11 points?
Defensive deficiencies
Barça have scored 17 goals compared to Real’s 12 this season, but both sides have conceded five times.
Real have had tremendous strength in defence under manager Jose Mourinho, and he will be keen to ensure that is emphasized in the remainder of the campaign. They might not be out of the title race if they lose in Catalunya this weekend, but will not be able to afford any more slip-ups thereafter.
In Pepe, Sergio Ramos and Arvelo Arbeloa they have a strong and settled defence, with just Marcelo or Fabio Coentrao to chose between for the left-back spot.

While Messi Fails to Score in Controversial Barcelona Win, Rival Ronaldo Punishes Deportivo with Hat-trick

Players of FC Barcelona celebrate with David Villa and teammates Leo Messi and Cristian Tello 

In atypical fashion, Barcelona were made to sweat for the second consecutive league match as they pulled off a controversial 3-2 defeat against Sevilla with two very late goals from Cesc Fábregas and David Villa.
The Catalan club started very poorly and were quickly behind to 1-0 to Piotr Trochowski’s well-taken goal in the 26th minute of the match. The Polish international brilliantly exploited regular defensive frailties epitomized by Tito Vilanova’s centre-back pairing of traditional midfielders, Javier Mascherano and Alex Song.
Trochowski and Álvaro Negredo, who scored to bring the match to 2-0 early in the second-half, made the most of Sevilla’s three shots on target to keep their side ahead and busy the Barcelona back-line before Fábregas pulled one back for the visitors with a brilliant shot to in the 52nd minute.

Messi hat-trick sinks Raja Casablanca

Lionel Messi starred again as he hit a hat-trick for Barcelona in their 8-0 friendly win over Raja Casablanca at the Grand Stade in Tangier.

GettyImagesLionel Messi scored more goals for Barca

Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring, before Messi doubled his side's advantage. The pair scored the next two goals to put Barcelona 4-0 ahead and Messi completed his hat-trick on the stroke of half-time.

Dani Alves got on the scoresheet from the penalty spot in the 58th minute before youngsters Sergi Roberto and Gerard Deulofeu added two more in the last three minutes.

After the game new Barcelona boss Tito Vilanova heaped praise on Messi in his first pre-season appearance after missing the match against Hamburg on Tuesday.

"When you have the best player in the world, with this scoring capacity, he usually makes the difference, and once again he did it," Vilanova told reporters. "This match was good to pick up the pace because we faced a team that made us run.