La Liga Table 2013 Week 9: Updated Standings Following Matchday 8

The reigning champs are still perfect on the season after Matchday 8 in La Liga, as Barcelona sits atop the table along with Atletico Madrid. 

It's been eight games and eight wins for La Blaugrana, who are showing no signs of slipping up in the wake of Lionel Messi's absence due to injury. And they're showing no signs of slowing up, seeming to not be missing a beat without their star.

But they're far from the only club that shook up the league table over the weekend.

Let's take a look at the full standings and break down how the biggest contenders are faring as of late.

Note: Highlighted teams are projected to be relegated

Top Contenders

Barcelona

Losing arguably the world's best player hasn't slowed Barcelona down one bit.

While Messi got off to a scorching-hot start in the La Liga slate with eight goals, scoring hasn't been much of an issue. Alexis Sanchez has emerged, as usual, with two goals in Saturday's win.

Just as well, Neymar is becoming a star in his own right in Spain for his first of surely many seasons in La Liga.

When Messi goes down, other attackers for La Blaugrana tend to make up for the goal-scoring loss, and that is what has happened thus far in his absence. 

Atletico Madrid

While the buzz will almost certainly be around Barcelona for their start to the season, it's all too overlooked that Atletico Madrid is also a perfect 8-0-0 so far on the league slate.

It hasn't been filled with fluke wins, either, as their plus-15 goal differential is seven higher than Real Madrid—the star-studded team that trails their cross-town rival by five points in the standings.

Diego Costa has been a machine, scoring eight goals on the season and netting both of his club's scores in a 2-1 win over Celta de Vigo on Sunday.

If he can keep it up and continue to mesh with a peaking club, count on Atletico Madrid to threaten both powerhouses all year long.

Real Madrid

It hasn't been a start of the season to remember for Real Madrid, as the transition into a relatively new-look club has caused for a few slip-ups so far in La Liga.

Goal scoring has been an issue for the club, with an uncharacteristic 14 goals in eight matches.

What isn't quite uncharacteristic of their start, though, is Cristiano Ronaldo's seven goals thus far. 

It's not promising that one player has scored half of Real's goals on the season, but it isn't surprising when considering what Ronaldo has done in his Madrid tenure. However, he'll need help from his teammates if they want to have any realistic shot at knocking Barcelona off the top of the table.

Time is running out, and Barcelona continues to win big every time they step onto the pitch. Real Madrid needs to string together a big winning streak to have any conceivable shot.