Real Madrid out to Inflict Revenge

May 2009 and Spanish giants Real Madrid had slipped to one of the lowest ebbs in their long and celebrated history. A 6-2 home defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Barcelona confirmed to even the most loyal Madridista that their club was in dire need of a radical reform: from the President, to the manager, and finally to the players themselves.

Whilst Pep Guardiola's Barcelona were busy lighting up La Liga and the Champions League with some of the most spectacular team performances ever seen in Spain; Madrid had looked like a team bereft of ideas, passion and most worryingly of all, talent.

The 6-2 hammering at the Bernabeu, along with the embarrassing 4-0 Champions League defeat at Anfield two months earlier, left little doubt that major changes would follow this summer.

The first change was the most crucial, with temporary President Vicente Boluda making way for Florentino Perez, the Spanish billionaire responsible for securing the big-name signings of Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, David Beckham, Michael Owen and Robinho during his first tenure as President of the club.

Back in 2000, Figo was approaching the peak of his career and plying his trade at the Camp Nou. The chances of anyone but Perez pulling off this deal were practically non-existent. Yet, the entrepreneurial Spaniard made it his statement of intent when running for the presidency.

"If you get me elected, I'll bring you the number one player and at the same time humiliate Barcelona," read his brash mission statement.

Perez remained true to his word and captured the services of the Portuguese winger. And in the months and years afterwards, built a team worthy of the 'Galacticos' label with the long list of star-studded players gracing the Bernabeu each week.

And now, nine years on from his first spell at the helm, Perez is using the same technique to ensure Madrid are more than well equipped to not only compete with Barca in the Premera Liga, but the whole of Europe in the Champions League.

Ramon Calderon had promised the fans Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Cesc Fabregas and Arjen Robben if elected. But only Robben would eventually turn out in the famous white strip of Los Blancos under his tenure. The Madrid fans expected more and had to endure a series of false-hopes and empty promises.

Just weeks into his second spell as President of Real Madrid and Perez has already made a typically gutsy impact by signing Kaka for a world record £56m from AC Milan and then, even more sensationally, plucking Cristiano Ronaldo from under the nose of Sir Alex Ferguson in a deal worth a "vulgar" - in the words of Sir Bobby Charlton - £80m.

And with former Villarreal manager Manuel Pelligrini now in charge of the team, it seems that Perez will stop at no length to ensure Madrid win the title next season - as well as the Champions League.

Barcelona may well have been humiliated back in 2000 with Luis Figo's departure, but last season a series of truly embarrassing and humbling moments were inflicted on Madrid.

And like a wounded animal, they'll be out to inflict revenge and make amends for last season's failings - starting with their adversaries, Barcelona.

But off the back of an historic season for the Catalan club and boasting several of the best players on the planet including Lionel Messi and Andreas Iniesta - both of whom not even Perez would dream of attempting to land his hands on - Guardiola will be confident in his own team's ability to mount a serious challenge on all fronts again this season.

Whether or not Real Madrid will immediately achieve success remains unclear, however, one certainty is that the two biggest teams in Spain will be more competitive than ever before, and that can only be a good thing for La Liga and the millions worldwide that follow it.