Real Madrid secure 35th league title in style; Ancelotti makes history


Saturday, April 30, 2022 at 6:09 PM• Dominic Mostert

Real Madrid crowned themselves champions of La Liga on Saturday. The Royal needed only one point against Espanyol, but secured the 35th league title in style: 4-0. With four games to go, Real can no longer be overtaken by Sevilla and Barcelona. Carlo Ancelotti makes history and is the first coach to become champion in the five biggest leagues in Europe.

Although one point was enough for Real, coach Ancelotti’s team was out for a victory. Rodrygo was the star of the first half, producing both Madrid goals. After 32 minutes, Marcelo found space between two defenders for a pass to Rodrygo, who controlled the ball in the penalty area and successfully cleared the right corner. He doubled the margin shortly before the break with a placed shot into the left corner after a good capture by Mariano Díaz.

Espanyol, with Tonny Vilhena in the starting line-up, did not leave the game unattended. Yet the most dangerous moments came from Real: when it was still 0-0, Díaz hit the post via goalkeeper Diego López. Ten minutes after the break, Marco Asensio lifted the score to 3-0. The attacker was launched by Eduardo Camavinga and scored with a diagonal shot over the left post. Isco’s 4-0 was disallowed due to an annoying offside by Rodrygo.

A counterattack in minute 81 resulted in the home team’s fourth goal. Substitute Benzema, the great star of this season, was reached in the penalty area by Vinícius Júnior and struck immediately. Real took the 35th league title in club history and hopes to give the season extra shine in the Champions League: the return in the semi-final against Manchester City awaits on Wednesday.