Spain: Real Madrid crowned Spanish champions for the 36th time

The King regains his crown! Real Madrid won Saturday its 36th title of champion of Spain after the defeat of its great rival FC Barcelona & Girona (4-2) in the Catalan derby, at the end of a season of impressive solidity.

“Campeones, campeones, olé, olé, olé!”, sing the supporters of the White House in the streets of the capital.

Their beloved club, disappointing second in the season having moved ten lengths behind Barça, is now assured of recovering the La Liga throne for the third time in the last five seasons, rewarding an almost perfect exercise and an insolent domination.

With 27 victories and only one defeat four days before the end of the championship, the Spanish giant is 13 points ahead of Girona, its new runner-up, with only 12 points to collect, and is therefore mathematically champion.< /p>

“We have had an exceptional season. We have been very consistent, we have made few mistakes and the advantage is deserved”, said Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, great architect of this success.

It's difficult to contradict him, as his men showed themselves to be intractable and dominated the championship head and shoulders.

Even on a day without or deprived of many starters, the Merengue club left only crumbs to its two pursuers, each of whom it beat twice (3-0, 4-0 against Girona, 2-1, 3-2 against Barça).

– Unplayable –

Jude Bellingham in Madrid on May 4, 2024 © AFP – OSCAR DEL POZO

Saturday afternoon, Real presented itself against relegated Cadiz in its Santiago Bernabéu stadium, roof closed and new metal case completed, with a hand and a half on the trophy, knowing that it could be slashed champagne before nightfall in the event of a misstep by FC Barcelona.

And even with a largely reshuffled eleven four days before the League semi-final return champions against Bayern, the Madrid club did its share of the work thanks to a gem in the top corner from Brahim Diaz (51st, 1-0), decisive passer then for the inevitable Jude Bellingham (68th, 2-0) scorer a few seconds after coming into play for the 18th time of the season.

Joselu widened the gap in added time (90th+3, 3-0), but the White House members had not waited for him to start celebrating, while awaiting the result of their Barcelona enemies.< /p>

They were able to exult in earnest almost two hours later, in a shower of horns.

Still with his phlegm legendary and his eyebrow raised, Carlo Ancelotti had nevertheless called on his people to wait until next weekend:

“If we have to celebrate we will celebrate on Sunday. In the meantime we return to the house, quiet, thinking about Wednesday”.

– Signed Ancelotti –

Before trying to going to win a fifteenth Champions League, the Italian technician will nevertheless be able to light a little cigar, because this 36th title bears more than ever the seal of his pragmatic but terribly effective football.

Orphaned by Karim Benzema, who left for Saudi Arabia, Carlo Ancelotti changed everything and adapted his tactical plan to highlight his new star recruit, Jude Bellingham, proving that he knew how to reinvent himself.

Joselu (l) and Nacho Fernandez in Madrid on May 4, 2024 © AFP – OSCAR DEL POZO

The result: 32 victories and only 2 defeats in 49 matches in all competitions, and an impressive ability to get out of all situations.

“I believe that our greatest strength is that he finds a way to let us play with freedom. We are a little unpredictable. Humanly, he gives us a lot of calm and confidence,” believes Bellingham, the new providential man. merengue, about his coach.

Madrid is now awaiting the 2024 edition of the famous photo of the “Mister”, sunglasses and cigar in his mouth in the middle of his players, went viral in 2022 after winning their first Spanish championship title.

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