Ernesto Valverde has improved the defensive structure at Barcelona immeasurably, and with the lead at the top of the table now standing at 11 points, the club are welcoming the challenge of winning the LaLiga title without losing.

It's an achievement that goes down in football folklore, such is its rarity, Athletic Club did it in the 1929/30 season and Arsenal managed it in the Premier League back in 2003/04.

With just nine matches left this term, the Blaugrana are within touching distance of such of achievement, although they still have to go to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu at the end of the season.

Barcelona's remaining LaLiga games

 Matchday 30: Sevilla-BARCELONA

 Matchday 31: BARCELONA-Leganés

 Matchday 32: BARCELONA-Valencia

 Matchday 33: Celta-BARCELONA

 Matchday 34: BARCELONA-Villarreal

 Matchday 35: Deportivo-BARCELONA

 Matchday 36: BARCELONA-Real Madrid

 Matchday 37: Levante-BARCELONA

 Matchday 38: BARCELONA-Real Sociedad

Atletico Madrid's defeat to Villarreal has put Los Cules in an incredibly strong position with regards to the title race, however their pressure has forced Valverde's charges to keep their performance levels high, something that will aid the pursuit of an unbeaten season.

Celtic are the most recent major team in Europe to achieve such a feat, they lifted the Scottish Premiership title in the 2016/17 season with 34 victories and just four draws.

Juventus managed it under Antonio Conte in 2011/12, the Turin club produced a fantastic run to the Serie A title with 23 wins and 13 draws.

Boca Juniors have done it on two occasions but Fabio Capello's AC Milan are possibly the most famous team to record an unbeaten season, along with Arsene Wenger's 'Invincibles'.

With Patrick Vieira, Gilberto Silva and Thierry Henry forming the spine of the team, the North London club won the Premier League in spectacular fashion with 26 victories and 12 draws.

It isn't something that can be planned or aimed for, yet the Catalan club are close enough now to be thinking about such a possibility, it's a challenge that will be welcomed.