Real Madrid won their first La Liga title since 2012 thanks to a final-day 2-0 victory at Malaga on Sunday and in spite of FC Barcelona’s 4-2 win over Eibar.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored early in the game to settle the nerves, latching onto Isco’s through ball to step around Carlos Kameni and tap into an empty net.
Karim Benzema then added their second goal after the break after Kameni had parried Sergio Ramos’ shot.
Real, who had only needed a draw to win the title, now face Juventus in the Champions League final aiming to complete a double
FC Barcelona, who had won the past two titles, came from 2-0 down to beat Eibar 4-2 at the Nou Camp.
But they had also needed Real to slip up if they were going to retain the trophy.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Real Madrid finished with 93 points, while FC Barcelona ended with 90 points to stay second.
The result means Zinedine Zidane, in his first full season as Real boss, has recorded another first.
He is the first manager to lead Madrid to the Spanish league title since Jose Mourinho did five years ago.
If Real beat Juventus in Cardiff, they will become the first team to successfully defend the Champions League.
Zidane had won the tournament six months into the job last summer.
Real Madrid stars have arrived at the club’s impressive training base ahead of the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tie with Atletico on Wednesday.
Los Blancos stars made their way to Real Madrid City on the eve of their match against city rivals at Vicente Calderon.
Real Madrid City is the club’s all-encompassing training base – which is 40 times bigger than the Bernabeu.
Cristiano Ronaldo arrives at Real Madrid City ahead of the Champions League tie with Atletico
Sergio Ramos also arrived at the mega-complex, which includes 57 individual bedrooms
It includes the Alfredo Di Stefano training pitch, youth pitches, an indoor swimming pool, games room, cinema, restaurant and 57 individual bedrooms for the La Liga giants to utilise.
The leisure facilities at Real Madrid City will certainly help ease any tensions the Spanish giants have heading into the semi-final clash.
Zinedine Zidane’s men are sure to be spending the evening dissecting Atletico’s tactics and discussing means to quell the threats they pose.
But Real take a commanding 3-0 lead into the tie and look certain to join Juventus in the final in Cardiff next month – barring any major upsets.
Goalkeeper Keylor Navas will try and keep Atletico from overturning the 3-0 win in the first leg
Karim Benzema and Luka Modric will also be key men for Zinedine Zidane’s side on Wednesday
Cristiano Ronaldo once again provided on the main stage, as he so often does, by bagging a hat-trick at the Bernabeu last week.
It leaves a huge uphill struggle for Diego Simeone’s men, who will need to overturn a three-goal deficit – a feat they have not achieved since 2015 when Antoine Griezmann was the man to bag a hat-trick.
Atletico will need their talisman to step up once again if they have any chance of fighting for that Europe’s premier club trophy next month.
The Bernabéu bounced and burst into song, the lyrics ringing around this arena the same that had adorned the huge banner unfurled at the south end before the kick-off. “Tell me how it feels,” they gloated. High in the north end, Atlético’s supporters sat in silence, stunned. This felt terrible. It was happening again, the pain unbearable. For a fourth consecutive year, they had met their rivals and for a fourth consecutive year they had fallen.
There will be another meeting between these sides but like all those derbies from an era of dominance Atlético thought they had left behind, it is likely to be irrelevant. Real were leading 3-0, on course for a third final in three years. Five times Cristiano Ronaldo scored against Bayern Munich in the quarter-final; three times he scored against Atlético in the semi-final. The first leg of the semi-final, that is. The first came after 10 minutes, the last after 86. In between them, Atlético did not manage a shot on target for the first time this season.
Real’s past 11 goals in this competition had come in the second half and opponents had scored first in each of their four games in the knockout stage, but here a goal arrived early. Ten minutes had gone when Sergio Ramos was given time to cross from the right, the ball curling towards Ronaldo, hovering behind Diego Godín. The defender headed out, but only as far as Casemiro, who struck the ball straight back in. He did not hit it well but it bounced up and Ronaldo, six yards out, headed past Jan Oblak.
Ronaldo heads home Real Madrid’s opener. Photograph: Javier Lizon/ EPA
The Bernabéu went wild. On the touchline, Diego Simeone was tapping his head. Think, but about what? It would have been difficult not to think about all those other times, three European defeats in three seasons, all at the hands of Real; difficult not to feel that pessimism returning, the inevitability of it all, the cruelty. Much of the build-up had focused on psychology. “If the past has to weigh on someone, let it be them,” Dani Carvajal had said, and that did appear to be happening.
Atlético looked rattled; even when they had the ball – and there were periods when they had a significant amount of it – there was a lack of conviction. They passed but rarely with intent or belief; often it was underhit. Koke swapped sides with Yannick Carrasco, seeking control, and while there was an improvement he was unusually imprecise. When he tried to thread it through gaps, the gaps closed. One superb pass that did cut through Real’s back four found Kévin Gameiro racing alone into the area, but as he slowed momentarily Keylor Navas sprinted towards him and, diving full length, took the ball from his toe.
When Atlético looked up, Real stood in their way. On the wings, especially, Atlético were struggling. Lucas Hernández, drafted in at right back, was not enjoying himself. Oblak had already made a sharp save from Karim Benzema before the goal. After it, Luka Modric struck wide, Raphael Varane’s header was superbly saved and Benzema hit a wonderful overhead kick just past the bar.
Ronaldo fires home his second goal. Photograph: Lars Baron/Getty Images
Atlético’s first shot did not arrive until the half hour, when Antoine Griezmann’s clever free-kick found Godín sliding in at the far post. Real had taken 10 by then, although as the half progressed Atlético did wrestle back some control – they had stemmed the bleeding for now.
Atlético had been unexpectedly passive defensively and while there was little danger when they came forward, the good news was that trailed by only one. Real also lost Carvajal, going to ground holding his hamstring at the end of the first half. From full back, he had been Real’s greatest threat; Marcelo on the other side had also concerned the visitors. Carvajal was replaced by Nacho Fernández who drew applause from the stadium when he won a race with Carrasco.
Atlético took a step forward, Real a step back. Yet if they appeared to be dropping too deep, Atlético lacked clarity in the final pass and the counter-attack is a weapon Zinedine Zidane’s side use better than anyone. If a lot happened in the first half, little was happening now.
Ronaldo celebrates after completing his hat-trick. Photograph: Paul Hanna/Action Images via Reuters/Livepic
Fernando Torres and Nico Gaitín replaced Saúl and Gameiro, then Correa went on for Angel Carrasco, but their impact was minimal. Atlético advanced, but only so far. Ronaldo’s impact, by contrast, was gigantic. Real controlled, rarely suffered, and then they hit. They had been the better side almost from the start, but it was not resolved until the end. With 73 minutes gone, Marcelo crossed from the left, Benzema held off Godín and nudged it on for him. Opening up his body, he smashed the shot into the top corner.
Soon another followed. Atlético sought the goal that would give them a chance; instead, they conceded the goal that means they surely have no chance. Lucas Vázquez broke up the right and pulled back for Ronaldo to finish with a simple side-foot shot. It was his 103rd Champions League goal, more than Atlético have ever scored.
Zinedine Zidane claims Cristiano Ronaldo is so good “he could play anywhere”.
The Real Madrid superstar has had to adapt his game in the past couple of seasons, gradually morphing into a more traditional number nine after spending his earlier years at Sporting CP, Manchester United and Madrid as a marauding winger with a keen eye for goal.
The 32-year-old has not scored for four LaLiga games but was the inspiration behind Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final win over Bayern Munich with five goals across the two legs.
And, speaking ahead of Saturday’s visit of Valencia to Santiago Bernabeu, Zidane was full of praise for Ronaldo.
He said: “Ronaldo has always played on the wing but he has the quality to play in several positions. He could play as an out-and-out striker as he’s a great player.
“And almost 400 goals as a winger… that’s something we can’t forget. It’s an amazing achievement but he’s so good he could play anywhere.”
Zidane has several selection posers to solve before the weekend with Gareth Bale injured and Isco, Marco Asensio, James Rodriguez and Alvaro Morata all vying to fill the void.
The Frenchman must also consider the fact Madrid play city rivals Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday.
He added: “I don’t have a set idea [on how to replace Bale], there are lots of options.
“I have to look at the opponents for example, how they play, what’s the best option for us but I know I have lots of options because all my players are good and have versatility.”
Zidane offered a fitness update on central defender Pepe, who has not played since suffering a rib injury against Atletico on April 8.
“I don’t know anything about his future,” Zidane said of the 34-year-old, whose contract expires in June. “But there’s a pain in his ribs. He is in better shape and hopefully he’ll be back before the end of the season.”
Real Madrid will have to reach this year’s Cardiff Champions League final without Gareth Bale after the club confirmed he has a ‘grade-two’ lower calf strain in his left leg.
Bale was desperate to play his part in the double-header against Atletico Madrid knowing a European Cup final in his hometown awaits if Real Madrid are victorious.
But now it appears he will be watching from the sidelines after the club confirmed the latest in a long line of injury setbacks. There is no official timescale but it is understood he will need between two and three weeks to get back to fitness.
Bale dislocated his right ankle last November and missed three months following surgery and his comeback has been hampered by a new injury in the other leg.
The fresh blow comes just as he was bearing the brunt of Real Madrid’s post-Clasico fall-out with much of Spain’s media suggesting he should never have played the fixture because he was not properly fit.
Bale is a big-game player and if he can shake off this latest injury then his team-mates fully expect him to be as decisive in the final weeks of the season as he was in 2014 and 2016.
There is still time for him to return for Madrid’s final three matches in the league and play a major part in Cardiff in what will be his third Champions League final in four years if Real Madrid get past Atletico.
But if that is not the case, then the criticism will continue to grow, for Bale, and even more so for Zidane for picking him when he was clearly not fit to play such an important game.
Barcelona need another miracle after Juventus star Paulo Dybala destroys Catalans in Turin
The Argentine forward struck twice inside the opening 22 minutes as the Old Lady tore the visitors to shreds with a super-charged start.
Luis Enrique‘s men had plenty of possession with Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez going close, but their defensive deficiencies were cruelly exposed again in the second half when Giorgio Chiellini headed home a corner.
It was a perfect recipe combining ruthless attack and stubborn rearguard from the Old Lady as they deservedly maintained their unbeaten record on home turf this season. It leaves the Catalan giants needing another Nou Camp miracle to keep their dream of a lifting sixth European Cup alive.
Indeed, Barcelona appear to be doing it the hard way in this year’s competition after they were forced to overturn a 4-0 deficit at home to Paris Saint Germain to make the quarter finals for the 10th straight campaign.
They face another mammoth task in the second leg on April 19 and will need the MSN to be firing on all cylinders to reach the semi finals against a Bianconeri rearguard who have conceded just two goals in the Champions League this term.
TALKING POINT.
Can lightning strike twice? The obituaries were already written ahead of the second leg at home to Paris Saint Germain and despite their defensive deficiencies, the Catalans have so much firepower that they are capable of destroying the very best defences on their day. There is still hope but there’s no doubt Juventus are heavy favourites to make the last four now. If Luis Enrique’s men do go on to lift the trophy this season, they will have done it via a real rollercoaster of emotions and in the most difficult way possible.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Paulo Dybala (Juventus). Two sublime finishes capped an eye-catching display from the Argentine. Faded slightly in the second period as Barca pressed, but made the all-important match-winning contributions to put his side in control of the tie.
The 2017 Champions League final in Cardiff could be played under a closed roof for the first time.
UEFA will make the decision closer to the June 3 final at the Principality Stadium, local organising committee officials told a Champions League media briefing on Friday.
The roof of the 74,500-capacity stadium has been closed in the past for Wales rugby internationals, but shutting it for European club football’s showpiece event would see UEFA break new ground.
There is, however, a precedent for a major football match being staged indoors as England played Argentina at the 2002 World Cup in Japan at the Sapporo Dome.
‘I think most footballers prefer natural conditions, but it is an interesting one,’ said the Football Association of Wales’ Alan Hamer, the local organising committee’s project director.
‘It is UEFA’s decision, it is their event, and from a purist’s perspective it is what many people would want.
‘It’s something that we need to speak to UEFA about nearer the time, and at the moment we’ve not been made aware of any decision.
‘If we had really poor weather which put the pitch in jeopardy then it’s an obvious decision. But we’ll see what comes out of it.’
More than 170,000 people are expected to arrive in Wales for the June 3 final, with the women’s Champions League final being held at the Cardiff City Stadium two days earlier.
The Principality Stadium will be renamed the National Stadium of Wales for the event as UEFA regulations prevent a commercial title from being used.
A global television audience of 200 million is expected to watch the final, a figure which organisers say is double the size of American Football’s Super Bowl, with the event said to have an economic benefit of £45m to Cardiff and the wider region
‘We are the smallest country to host the Champions League final and it puts us in the shop window for future events,’ Hamer said.
A free four-day UEFA Champions Festival will be staged in Cardiff Bay from June 1-4 and some of the attractions planned include a floating five-a-side football pitch in the bay, the UEFA Champions Gallery football museum and live musical entertainment.
Should Cardiff deliver a successful 2017 Champions League final, the FAW could bid to host the event again in three years’ time.
Many venues who meet the criteria of staging the Champions League final will be unable to do so that year because of preparations for the 2020 European Championship which will be held throughout the continent rather than in one country.
Enyimba’s head coach, Gbenga Ogunbote has expressed happiness at his side’s ability to amass maximum points against Rivers United in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)matchday 15 encounter at the UJ Esuene Stadium, Calabar.
Enyimba captain, Mfon Udoh scored a well-taken penalty in the second half to give his side a 1-0 win over Rivers United on Sunday.
“It was a hard-earned victory. We never expected a cheap one because even if they have been knocked out of the (CAF) Champions League, it does not make them a bad side. You should not forget that they recruited for the continent so it wasn’t a bad one,” Ogunbote said after the game.
The well-fought contest saw the hosts dominate the early exchanges.
United however enjoyed the first real opening of the half when Nzube Anaezemba latched onto Guy Kuemian’s quickly-taken free kick but fired over, from a tight angle, with just the Enyimba goalkeeper, Joel Theophilus Afelokhai.
Enyimba should have scored on the stroke of half time when Ismaila Gata struck a fierce low effort which the Rivers United goalkeeper did well to stop.
The visitors enjoyed the first chance of the second period; an enthralling team move which involved Lukman Mohammed, Kuemian and Esosa Igbinoba.
Igbinoba struck well enough from the edge of the box but was denied by an exemplary stop by Afelokhai.
How do you honour a footballer who has already picked up nearly every trophy available to them?
Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Champions League, La Liga, and the Premier League and has established a two-way tussle with Lionel Messi for the Ballon D’Or over the last few years.
But the local government in Madeira have found another way to pay tribute to one of their favorite sons – by naming an airport after him.
Ronaldo has followed in the footsteps of the likes of John Lennon after the Aeroporto Da Madeira was named after him.
The signage went up on Friday ahead of the official unveiling on March 29, the day after Portugal take on Sweden in the island’s capital, Funchal.
It adds to a collection of Ronaldo-related establishments that have popped up over the last few years.
A museum has been opened in Madeira, while he has also opened two hotels in Funchal and Lisbon.
Ronaldo is currently with the Portugal national team as they prepare to face Sweden in a friendly match.
The Portuguese star has had a sensational past 12 months, winning the Champions League and Euro 2016 before picking up the Ballon D’Or in December.
UEFA has fined Barcelona for fans running on the pitch to celebrate their dramatic Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
Sergi Roberto’s added-time goal sealed an incredible 6-1 win for Luis Enrique’s men at the Nou Camp, sparking jubilant scenes among players and supporters alike.
Some fans could not resist jumping over the advertising hoardings and celebrating on the playing surface with their heroes, who had just reached the quarter-finals.
UEFA says the £16,500 (19,000 euros) fine includes a mandatory sanction because five players were shown yellow cards during the second leg.
Three other clubs have also been fined for incidents at recent Champions League and Europa League games.
Saint-Etienne must pay £43,250 (50,000 euros) for fans’ improper conduct and lighting flares at Old Trafford during their 3-0 defeat against Manchester United.
Napoli have been fined £32,900 (38,000 euros) for a range of offences during their 3-1 home loss against Real Madrid.
UEFA also asked Rostov to pay £13,900 (16,000 euros) for fans lighting fireworks at Sparta Prague’s stadium last month.
