Top Spanish teams inspired by Messi and Ronaldo

With just four games gone the Spanish league appears to have turned into the Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo show with the two biggest football superstars in the world inspiring Barcelona and Real Madrid to a maximum 12 points.

Argentine Messi has scored five goals in three appearances to push Barcelona to the summit while Ronaldo, the world?s most expensive player, has scored in every league game for Real with five goals from four outings.

Barcelona crushed Racing Santander 4-1 on Tuesday, with Messi scoring twice, and they are on the road again travelling to Malaga on Saturday.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has struck up a real partnership with Messi and the Swede made history by becoming the first ever Barcelona player to score in each of his first four matches for the club.

“Ibra (Ibrahimovic) and I are getting to know each other but it is easy because of his quality,” explained Messi. “I have to get used to his movement as he does to mine, however, slowly but surely our understanding is developing.”

Ibrahimovic is a doubt for the Malaga game after twisting his ankle against Santander so Thierry Henry may be asked to play as a central striker having done so on many occasions at Arsenal.

Four wins represents Barca?s best start since 1998 but Real have matched the champions with 12 points in their best opening sequence since 1992.

Real host promoted Tenerife at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday and the spotlight will be on Portuguese centre-back Pepe who makes his league return following the completion of a 10-match ban.

Pepe was hit with the 10-match suspension during the tail end of last season for stamping on Getafe?s Francisco Casquero and striking another Getafe player, Juan Albin, in the Madrid derby which Real eventually won 3-2.

“It is in the past and I am just looking forward now,” said Pepe. “The hardest thing has been left on the outside watching your team-mates play while I couldn?t. I just want to get back playing.”

With Barca and Real already nestled in the top two the anticipated two-horse title race appears to be under way, however, Sevilla midfielder Didier Zokora believes his side can compete with the big two.

“Barcelona are the best team in the league and Real have a great team but we can fight for the title and even get as far as the semi-finals in the Champions League because we have an excellent squad here,” explained Zokora.

Sevilla lie third, three points behind the leading duo, going into Saturday?s match at Athletic Bilbao who are level with them on nine points after a promising start to the campaign.

The feature game of the weekend is on Saturday when struggling Atletico Madrid travel to Valencia.

Atletico, fourth last season, sit second from bottom after failing to win any of their first four matches and coach Abel Resino has reportedly been given two games to save his job, starting at Valencia.

“I am calm and have not had an ultimatum of any sort,” insisted Resino. “I will go to work with the team and look for solutions. One game can change everything.”

Valencia lost 3-1 at Getafe on Wednesday as they tasted their first defeat of the season leaving them five points off the leaders.

Spanish international David Villa has scored five goals to join Messi and Ronaldo at the top of the goal-scoring charts and publicly attacked the team for failing to kill off opponents.

“I have spoken with Villa and the matter is now closed,” revealed Valencia coach Unai Emery. “We want Villa to score goals and we will discuss internal matters internally.”

Villarreal are the other Champions League hopefuls but they have had a wretched start with two points from 12 as coach Ernesto Valverde seeks his first win in charge at Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.

Fixtures

Saturday

Real Madrid v Tenerife (1600 GMT), Athletic Bilbao v Sevilla (1600 GMT), Malaga v Barcelona (1800 GMT), Valencia v Atletico Madrid (2000 GMT)

Sunday – all 1500 GMT unless stated

Espanyol v Xerez, Real Mallorca v Valladolid, Osasuna v Sporting Gijon, Almeria v Racing Santander, Real Zaragoza v Getafe (1700 GMT), Deportivo La Coruna v Villarreal (1900 GMT)