It's not a point, it's an abyss.

Anyone clinging to the argument that Real Madrid isn't doing so badly because there's only a one-point difference between them and Barça in the La Liga standings needs to be reminded not just of what's happened in the last month: they only need to look at the last matchday. And Barça's advantage is much more than a single point.

While Hansi Flick's team was able to thrash Elche, Álvaro Arbeloa's side needed 15 minutes of stoppage time, playing against a Rayo Vallecano side with nine men, and a penalty to win without convincing. The atmosphere, the environment, is also completely different. While not a single Barça fan doubts Flick, Arbeloa's arrival hasn't been a turning point: he doesn't inspire consensus, tranquility, or optimism, and his Mr. Wonderful-esque pronouncements in the press room, coupled with his insistence on teaching Madrid fans how to be Madridistas, will take their toll sooner rather than later. Especially since his team lacks football, and he's already brought up pride, the jersey, the crest, the trophies, and even the spirit of Juanito. Not a peep about football, about the game itself.

More? While the Camp Nou, still struggling and at half capacity, is providing a warm welcome for Barça, the atmosphere at the Bernabéu is toxic and becoming unbearable. Vinícius is already being booed more at home than away, even though he doesn't try to hide it; everyone is singled out except Courtois and Mbappé, who criticizes his teammates and, apart from scoring the penalty against Rayo, had a rather lackluster game. Signings like Huijsen and Mastantuono, which were touted as the best invention since Coca-Cola, are collapsing spectacularly amidst the cacophony of jeers from the stands. And that's not even mentioning Carreras, who was exposed at the Estádio da Luz and was a substitute on Sunday, or the fact that any Barça midfielder would be an undisputed starter at Real Madrid.

All the feelings emanating from Arbeloa's team suggest they're headed for disaster as soon as they face a decent opponent; Barça, on the other hand, show that despite losing some of their exuberance compared to last season, the coach isn't clinging to the "we're the best, so what?" mentality. Instead, he continues to push to evolve and refine his approach, has brought back Lamine Yamal, is concerned about Raphinha, and, above all, is talking about football. Clinging to that damned one-point difference is a short-term fix that will lead to long-term problems. The difference is enormous.