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LONDON - The seemingly never-ending soccer season in Spain is playing right into the hands of Real Madrid. And that means David Beckham, the soon-to-be Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder who has not won a trophy in four seasons with Madrid, has a chance to leave Spain with something other than a bad taste in his mouth.

The 29-time league champions took over sole possession of first place Saturday for the first time this season, and they did it by scoring three second-half goals in a 4-3 win over Espanyol. The win was the team's seventh in its last eight games. If Madrid can hang on over the final four games, it would end its worst slump since the early 1950s.

"We now depend on ourselves to win," said Madrid forward Gonzalo Higuain, who scored the winning goal against Espanyol in the 89th minute. "We are on the right path to become champions."

And that's something not too many people ¡ª Beckham least of all ¡ª thought possible only a few weeks ago.

Madrid went through a tough period shortly after Beckham announced in January he would leave the team and head to California. One win in seven league matches, plus elimination from the Champions League, contributed to the feeling that Madrid would stretch its trophyless streak to at least 2008.

The going wasn't all that good for Beckham, either. Since his decision to leave Madrid for greener pastures ¡ª and greener money ¡ª he has been benched, reinstated, injured and even suspended because of too many yellow cards. That's a far cry from his days at Manchester United.

Before joining Madrid in 2003, Beckham was the star player on the 1999 United team that won the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup. The former England captain also won five other Premier League titles and one more FA Cup in his time in England.

Now, with FC Barcelona slumping to only three wins in its last six league games, Beckham has a chance to prove that his move to Spain wasn't a total waste.

After Saturday's win and Barcelona's 1-1 draw with Real Betis on Sunday, Madrid is tied on points with the defending champions and two points ahead of third-place Sevilla. The tiebreaker in Spain is head-to-head results, and Madrid beat Barcelona 2-0 at home in October and then played to a 3-3 draw in March.

"The league isn't lost," Barcelona midfielder Deco said Monday. "If we win four matches and they draw just one, then we're champions."

But if Madrid wins all four, there's nothing Deco or Barcelona can do about it.

"We are capable of winning the last four matches, but we have to remind ourselves that they won't be easy," Madrid captain Raul Gonzalez said.

Madrid is already one of the most decorated teams in international soccer, with its record nine European Cups leading the list of major titles. But the team's recent slump has come despite the addition of a slew of major players, known as the "Galaticos."

Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Ronaldo ¡ª each helped Madrid win at least one of its last three major titles ¡ª have all come and gone. And Beckham and Roberto Carlos are on their way out after this season.

Raul, the sole "Galatico" who came up through Madrid's youth system, will be the only one there next season, albeit with such teammates as world and European player of the year Fabio Cannavaro, Ruud van Nistlerooy, Robinho, Cicinho and Iker Casillas.

But the loss of Beckham will essentially end the era of Florentino Perez, the former Madrid president who resigned last year after trying to create the world's best and most marketable team.

At least the marketing side paid off.