Real Madrid sealed their 34th LaLiga title on Thursday with a 2-1 win over Villarreal, knowing full well that a victory would be enough to secure Real Madrid’s third domestic league title this decade. They have been irresistibly spectacular since the return of football and it was in that same style that they won their 10th game in a row and marched on to snatch the title away from arch-rival Barcelona.
After three month of compulsory rest in the Spanish La Liga due to the coronavirus pandemic, arguably the best league in the world, sprung back into life last month exactly on a Thursday evening with the Seville’s derby between Sevilla and Real Betis ushering us back into the remaining football fixtures in the Spanish topflight, fast forward to matchday 36 in the league since the restart it’s now getting clearer and clearer how fast the men are been separated from the boys in the title race.
No one will be surprised to see the Catalans and Los Blancos battling it out at the top of the league table again after the league resumed back to action, neither of the two Spanish giants has looked more like a vintage team since the beginning of the season with both teams churning out patchy results. However, both teams have been able to grind out results that have been able to push them further in the fight for the title this season.
Quique Setien led side Barcelona were leading the way on the table with two points before the league went on break, but since the restart the title race has swung in Real Madrid’s favor as everything looks done and dusted for Barcelona, having relinquished a two-point advantage to Real Madrid.
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At the beginning of the season, Barcelona looks more like a team with the advantage, having led the league with two points prior to the break, after Real Madrid dropped point away from home at the Benito Villamarin Stadium against Real Betis in Seville, as such it was looking like the Calatans might be going straight to clinch their third straight La Liga championship, but sadly the pandemic happened and the league was halted.
Prior to the break, Real Madrid was battling with the fitness concern of some of their important players, such as Asensio, Hazard, et al, and for what Los Blancos is perhaps unique for having several members of squad injured, fortunately for Zidane, the pandemic happened and it looks more like a blessing in disguise for Real Madrid, and specifically for some of their injured players who were able to play again this season all thanks to the break who afforded them the opportunity to get back into full fitness.
Who knows, perhaps if there hasn’t been the coronavirus the league wouldn’t have gone on break, and perhaps Barcelona could have been crowned champions of the Spanish topflight league. It is what it is and the virus has been able to buy Real Madrid more time to restrategized and launched an assault on the league title this season, with the results of their hard work and most importantly the return of their injured players clearly evident with the results on the table.
As such Real Madrid are edging closer to reclaiming the Spanish La Liga title since 2017 from the jaw of Barcelona who had won it two years in a row under Valverde, Los Blancos last won the league in 2017 under Zinedine Zidane, ironically this season the French gaffer led Los Blancos in securing their 34th La Liga title.
The journey to the top of the league and clinching the title started for Los Blancos at home in the first match of the league restart against Eiber on June 14, and since the first match, it has been winning upon winning for Los Blancos, even though some of their triumphs have been seen to be controversial, as such ‘Radio Marca’ residential referee analyst Andujar Oliver has clearly stated times without number that those calls in favor of Madrid were clearly on point.
However, the Spanish giant hasn’t let that affect their momentum as they forge ahead in their quest in winning the title.
Having won 9 games on the bounce since the restart, matchday 37 against Villarreal won the league for Los Blancos with Karim Benzema scoring a brace to power Real Madrid to a 2-1 triumph over the Yellow Submarine, a result which earns them their 34th league title on Thursday night.
With the last match away at Leganes Sunday been just a formality, having achieved this great feat, it won’t be out of place to eulogizes the players who have been an integral part in making sure Los Blancos keep their composure and stay focus. Without a doubt, the accolades have to start with captain fantastic Sergio Ramos, for what is the general belief that defenders in a football game should be more concerned about how to protect and defend his team from conceding goals during the game.
The Statistics Of The Champion
- Real Madrid has the most wins (26)
- Fewest Defeats (3)
- Fewest goals conceded (25)
- Only team unbeaten at home
- Most away points (38)
- Most away wins (11)
- Fewest away goals conceded (14)
- Most goalscorers (21)
Real Madrid’s Best Matches In La Liga 2019-20 Season
Having lost four previous El Clasicos on-the-trot and tasting a home defeat to Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid needed inspiration when Barcelona was knocking at the door on March 2.
Having stopped Lionel Messi at Camp Nou in the return fixture, Real Madrid believed they could go all the way. And after a close first-half, young Vinicius Junior and Mariano Diaz scored in the second to give Real Madrid a massive win.
More than anything, the win had changed Los Blancos’ mentality as Zidane had little work to do to keep his side motivated for the remaining season, despite the forced COVID-19 break. Real Madrid had leapfrogged Barcelona after the win to sit atop the table with 12 games remaining.
Real Madrid 1-0 Getafe
A high-flying Getafe side had been a tough nut to crack this season, and they were up for the task on their trip to Santiago Bernabeu on July 3.
With Barcelona being held to a 2-2 draw by Atletico Madrid at Nou Camp, Real Madrid knew they had the best chance to stretch their lead at the top of the table to four points. However, after a goalless first 45 minutes, Zidane’s men knew it was not going to be easy.
However, they had captain Sergio Ramos for inspiration who scored from the spot after Dani Carvajal was fouled inside the box. One goal was enough to take Real Madrid four points ahead of the rest on the table.
Athletic Bilbao 0-1 Real Madrid
Traveling to Athletic’s San Mames is one of the toughest fixtures in La Liga and Real Madrid’s winning run was largely expected to be hindered, when they traveled on July 5 – just two days after a grueling match against Getafe.
The return fixture at Santiago Bernabeu last December had seen Real Madrid hit the woodwork thrice before settling for a 0-0 draw against Athletic Bilbao, and the Lions made life difficult for Real Madrid this time as well.
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However, Zidane’s men fended off the challenge to emerge victorious with a narrow 1-0 win as Sergio Ramos converted from the spot, yet again, to help his side lead by six points atop the table.
Real Madrid’s Game Changers
- Sergio Ramos
Hence, this season Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane have been rock solid defenders for Los Blancos, especially since the restart of the league, the Real Madrid captain has always risen to the occasion to scores for his team when it matters most, as such Ramos has scored from the spot 4 times since the restart to make him hit double-figure (12) goals this season, as he now equaled his goal tally which he set in 2016-17 season, and also placed himself in the history book as a defender with the highest goals in La Liga with 69 goals total.
- Thibaut Courtois
A lot of credit must be given to the man in between the stick Thibaut Courtois, the Belgian shot-stopper has been faced with a lot of questions concerning his lethargic performances at the beginning of the season. The Belgian goalkeeper has turned around those poor performances into a world-class display for Los Blancos in La Liga especially since the restart of the league and against Granada, the Belgian was decisive once again with a brilliant save to secure a victory for Real Madrid.
- Karim Benzema
The French forward have been an integral member of the Real Madrid since the departure of Los Blancos talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, to Juventus with 21 goals to his name this season. Another player that also deserves the accolade in the team his the Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, the former Porto loanee has also been fantastic this season with his consistency, work rate and the ability to break down the attack of opposition, and also delivers topnotch performances for the team when it matters most.
- Luca Modric
Another member of the old guard in the team who didn’t disappoint with his performances this season despite playing sparingly is Luka Modric, the Ballon d’Or winner may not be in the form that won him the most coveted individual award. However, he has been able to show since the restart that he can still be very instrumental for Los Blancos, and in response to that assertion, the Croatian maestro came to the party with a vintage performance against Granada.
- Toni Kroos
In the middle of the park is another unsung hero this season for Real Madrid. Toni Kroos, the best way to describe the German is how his teammates Casemiro described him, that “Real Madrid matches always goes in Kroos rhythm, he’s one of the most important players at the club because he manages the ball and the rhythm with which we play, if Toni wants to play slowly, we play slowly, if he wants us to play quicker, we play quicker. The statement definitely depicts what Kroos meant to Real Madrid.
Other players that have also made great contributions in making sure Los Blancos wins the league are the likes of Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo Goes, Federico Valverde, Marcelo who is currently injured, Isco, and Ferland Mendy who has been improving under Zidane since he joined from France, and to wrap it all up the left-back got his first goal for Real Madrid opener against Granada.
There are also other players in the team who haven’t gotten enough chances to show what they could actually do, ironically some have gotten relatively decent chances but didn’t cover themselves in glory, and among those players are the likes of Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez.
Sometimes as a football enthusiast, you would want to question the man-management of Zidane on Bale and James, because it’s quite worrisome to be seeing the two great players in that Madrid team who at one point light up the Santiago Bernabeu with great goals and vintage performances both in the league and in the champions league. Suddenly becomes an outcast in the team who sits on the bench week in, week out without any hope of playing a match.
Without mincing words, I don’t think the Real Madrid management cares about all of that, likewise, Zidane as their main priority has to be winning the title this season.
“The Champions League is the Champions League but La Liga makes me happier because La Liga is what it’s all about. This is a tremendous feeling because what these players have done is incredible. I am lost for words because I am too emotional.” – Zinedine Zidane
The celebrations of Real Madrid’s 2019/20 LaLiga title will continue for some time and word from many of the players and those associated with the club continue to pour out.
