There was once a royal prerogative in Spanish football. It dictated that Real Madrid entertained referees, routinely won leagues and garnered major trophies. It was a long hot spell in the sun. There were 29 titles and nine European Cups. The past four years have been cold and miserable.

Real Madrid have not won anything since a certain Englishman signed in June 2003. That may change this weekend and this most aristocratic of clubs is approaching the decisive phase of the Primera Liga with all the humility of a Big Brother contestant.

If Real Madrid win their last two games, they will be champions.

A slip-up against Real Zaragoza away today or Mallorca at the Bernabeu could hand the championship to Barcelona or Sevilla.

This is not on the royal agenda, however. Most clubs and their supporters would be facing the weekend with apprehension.

Not Real. Every rank of the Real empire is anticipating victory.

The president has not allowed the formalities of the end of the season to distract him from the most important aspects of his role as leader of the biggest club in the world. Ramon Calderon spent the week signing a multi-media deal to raise millions in the US, completing the contract to make Austrian on-line betting firm Bwin the club's chief sponsors, opening an exhibition dedicated to the club in the European Parliament and casually remarking he will sign Arjen Robben from Chelsea and possibly Kaka from AC Milan. This may come as a surprise to both. The Dutchman is poised to sign a five-year deal at Chelsea and the Brazilian will not be easily prised from the San Siro.

Dragged back to the banality of the title run-in, Calderon was suitably haughty. "The team has already achieved the hardest feats," he said yesterday. "We want to sing the victory chant. We owe the fans the title."

The supporters seem to agree. Most fans would be so nervous at having to win the last two matches that they would have to be treated with industrial doses of alcohol. Madridistas are different. Fans' websites yesterday were co-ordinating plans to celebrate at the Cibeles fountain in Madrid tonight if Real prevail in Aragon and Barcelona and Sevilla both slip up.

One supporter remarked evenly: "We will win the league in Zaragoza. It may be more beautiful to win the league against Mallorca at the Bernabeu but we would like to win it in Zaragoza to embitter other fans."

This winning point of view was replicated by other fans who stated simply: "We will win the league."

If supporters can be excused an over-developed sense of optimism, Real's players have strayed beyond the land of confidence to set up a bridgehead in downtown arrogance.

Ruud van Nistelrooy has said Real "can't lose" in Zaragoza. However, this was said more by way of warning than as a prediction. Emerson, Real's Brazilian midfielder, gave an entirely different perspective on his and the team's ambitions yesterday.

In an extraordinary radio interview, Emerson made a series of statements unencumbered by any false modesty.

Emerson has finally come into form after a difficult start to the season and he is clearly revelling in the change of fortune. These sample exchanges give a flavour of the Brazilian's mindset.

If you win the league who will you dedicate the title to? "I think I will dedicate it to myself. It's been a hard year."

Do you think Barcelona have a chance of winning the league? "They have a chance to win, but we are going to win."

Who deserves to win the league more, you or Fabio Capello team coach? "Me."

How will the game against Zaragoza end? "We will win 1-0."

Back in the real world, rather than the Real world, there were question marks over Madrid's ability to finish the task. They face a Zaragoza side chasing a UEFA Cup place and who hate their opponents with the fire of a thousand suns. The game is a sell-out and Madrid will meet a focused team with a fervent support. They almost certainly need to win.

Barcelona face Espanyol and then Gimnastic. The expectation is that the Catalans will garner six points. Real will have to do the same to win the title on the head-to-head results with their greatest rivals.

If Real have the more difficult final two matches, they also have a lengthening injury list. The headlines were yesterday all about David Beckham, who has still to win a medal at the Bernabeu. He trained yesterday but his ankle sprain is not expected to keep him out of tonight's match. Fatigue, though, may be a factor after a hectic international week. Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Fabio Cannavaro all trained, however.

The team flew out to Zaragoza last night aided by the following wind of hype and heightened expectation.

There was one sober voice amid the furore at the court of Real. Capello used his press conference to try to keep matters focused on the game. He has an unimpeachable claim to being the king of coaches. His legendary sangfroid, however, has been tested by events at the Bernabeu. Capello will almost certainly leave Madrid at the end of the season. Some are claiming he is about to be sacked. He insisted yesterday "that it is up to me to decide what to do".

He spoke quietly, but strongly. He was confident the team would play well. He was happy that Zaragoza needed to win too. He believed his international players were excited about the game. Above all, he stressed: "We still haven't won anything."

He was merely stating the obvious, but he was a lonely voice amid the triumphal roar of Madridistas.

Form guide... REAL MADRID

The leaders visit bogey team Real Zaragoza in impressive form. They have by far the best away record in the league with 11 wins from 18. They have won nine of their last 10 matches, and scored 17 goals in their last five.

Final game Real Mallorca BARCELONA

Daniel Sanchez Llibre, the Espanyol president, says upsetting their city rivals would help their UEFA Cup final heartache."The defeat in Glasgow is still fresh and a win would be the best way to soothe the pain," he said.

Final game Gimnastic A SEVILLA

The third-placed UEFA Cup winners have won five of their last six games.

They visit Real Mallorca this afternoon, who are the only team to have beaten them at home in the league this season.

Final game Villarreal