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MADRID -- Its been nearly a decade since Real Madrid was this dominant heading into the halfway point of the season.Not even in 2012, when it last won the Spanish league title.With Cristiano Ronaldo at his best and Zinedine Zidane flourishing in his first full season as a head coach, Madrid looks closer than ever to ending its title drought in the league.Madrid also had the lead after 16 matches in 2014-15, when it had also won the Champions League and the Club World Cup. That team eventually collapsed under coach Carlos Ancelotti and ended the season in disappointment.We all know what happened in 2014 after we won the Club World Cup. It can happen at any moment, said Zidane, who had been an assistant to Ancelotti. I think that the season will be long and difficult for us. If we work hard I dont think that things will change.With two more games without a loss, Madrid will match Barcelonas Spanish record of 39 games unbeaten, a mark set last season.---TITLE RACEAfter struggles by defending champion Barcelona and city rival Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid has a three-point lead going into the break. It also has a game in hand -- at home against Valencia -- because of its participation in the Club World Cup.Madrid, the only unbeaten team in the league, has been nearly perfect except for a spell of three consecutive draws beginning in September. It won seven of its last eight league games since then, with the only setback a 1-1 draw against Barcelona at Camp Nou when Sergio Ramos scored a 90th-minute equalizer.Second-place Barcelona has already lost twice, including at home to promoted Alaves. The Catalan club drew three straight -- including twice at home -- before finishing with two consecutive victories.Atletico, enduring its worse slump since coach Diego Simeone took over, is only sixth, nine points behind Madrid.---PICK OF THE PLAYERSCristiano Ronaldo enjoyed a remarkable year but had an up-and-down start in the league thanks in part to a knee injury that kept him from playing in the first few games.Lionel Messi also missed some matches because of an injury, but has been thriving recently and finished the year as the leagues leading scorer with 12 goals, along with Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez.On loan from Manchester City, Samir Nasri has been crucial in Sevillas third-place campaign, while Pablo Piattis first season with Espanyol has been highly successful with five goals and six assists, the most in the league.---EMERGING TALENTIago Aspas outstanding season with Celta Vigo helped him land a spot in Spains national team for the first time in his career.He is one of the tournaments leading scorers with 10 goals, three of them scored in the last three matches before the break. He has succeeded despite a Celta team that has been struggling and is only 13th in the standings.The 29-year-old Aspas, who had a stint with Liverpool in 2013-14, returned to Celta a season ago after a year on loan with Sevilla.---SURPRISESReal Sociedad started the league with a 3-0 home loss to Real Madrid and had only one victory in its first four games.It all improved quickly, though, and the team led by Brazilian striker Willian Jose heads into the break in fifth place, ahead of Atletico Madrid and just behind Sevilla and Villarreal.A two-time champion in the early 1980s, Real Sociedad had an emphatic 2-0 win over Atletico and drew Barcelona 1-1 in a game in which it deserved to win.---POINTS TO PROVECoach Diego Simeone needs to put Atletico Madrid back on track quickly if he wants the team to contend for another league title.After experimenting with different formations, the team struggled with inconsistency and has already conceded 14 goals, only four less than the 18 it conceded in all 38 games last season. Among its four losses -- which is two less than it had last season -- was a 3-0 setback against Madrid at home.Former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli also has to turn things around at Valencia, which is winless in seven league games and has won only twice under his command.In Barcelona, Neymar hasnt scored in nine official matches, his worst slump since coming to Spain.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoniRaphael Guerreiro Jersey . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. Sebastian Rode Dortmund Jersey . The injury bothered Bledsoe in the Suns victory over the Clippers on Monday and he sat out the teams home loss to Memphis on Thursday night. http://www.footballdortmundpro.com/Kids-Eric-Oelschlagel-Jersey/ . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. Achraf Hakimi Dortmund Jersey . Louis Cardinals. Victorino is batting sixth and playing right field after missing two games because of back tightness. Marwin Hitz Dortmund Jersey . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season.ASHBURN, Va. -- The oft-criticized Washington Redskins defense is finally clicking, and not a moment too soon with another NFC East matchup coming up.The Redskins allowed just 210 passing yards to Joe Flacco in a 16-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, and they havent given up a second-half touchdown in three consecutive games.Injuries to cornerbacks Bashaud Breeland and Dashaun Phillips and season-ending injuries to safety DeAngelo Hall and defensive tackle Kedric Golston threatened to derail Washington, but Josh Norman and others have shouldered the load.When wind was swirling in Baltimore and coach Jay Gruden knew he couldnt expect too much from quarterback Kirk Cousins and the passing game, the defense stepped up.Its good to be able to rely on the defense when we have to, Gruden said Monday.It was great to see for their confidence, to let them know that they can do it if they do what theyre supposed to do -- play hard and make plays -- and they did that.Norman aggravated a wrist injury in the win, but finished the game. Gruden said the team will monitor the injury, limit the contact Norman faces in practice and maybe put a brace on it, but expects the shutdown cornerback to play against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.The Redskins could be getting reinforcements back in the secondary, as Gruden said Breeland (ankle) and Phillips (hamstring) will have their workload increased this week.Were confident that they have a chance to be ready to go, especially Breeland, but well wait and see, Gruden said.Washington worked out defensive lineman Terrance Knighton on Monday as it considers adding depth in the trenches. Knighton spent last season with the Redskins, signed with the New England Patriots and was cut in late-August.Familiarity with defensive coordinator Joe Barry and the rest of the coaching staff could onnly help Knighton, who had 29 tackles and 1+ sacks in 2015.dddddddddddd.If you have injuries creep up, then you have people in your system that you know -- how much they weigh, what they look like, how they work out, what their injuries are like, Gruden said. Were not going to sign everybody that we bring in, but its good to have a list of emergency-type guys in case we need them.The Redskins already signed veteran defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins and have given more responsibilities to rookie Matt Ioannidis. Pressure on Flacco made the previously 29th-ranked defense far more effective.Overall, I think the defensive linemen ... they were more disruptive and played a lot better, which enabled the linebackers to make plays and very few missed tackles, Gruden said. I was happy the way we tackled, happy the way our defensive line was getting off blocks.There wasnt much on the defensive side of the ball for Gruden to be unhappy about. The Ravens converted on just 20 percent of their third-down attempts, and the overall futility cost offensive coordinator Marc Trestman his job .The second-half and third-down defensive improvements are thanks in part to the players, Gruden said, but coaches made adjustments along the way to put them in better spots.Were trying to get our best pass rushers on the field to get our best cover guys on the field, Gruden said.Guys were able to make some plays. We got just enough pressure on Joe where he had to throw it when he didnt want to from time to time or check it down because the coverage was very good. ... Very few broken tackles in the game, especially when they checked it down, so that was good to see.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '