Carlo AncelottiKarim BenzemaSoccer
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Real Madrid capture 35th LaLiga title

Photo of Interns Interns01/05/2022 - 12:24 pm

Carlo Ancelotti and Real Madrid created history as Los Blancos were crowned champions of Spain for a record 35th time on Saturday.

Real Madrid bagged its second LaLiga title in three years with an emphatic 4-0 over Espanyol and the celebrations kickstarted immediately after the final whistle at the Santiago Bernabéu. Real held a 15-point cushion over FC Barcelona coming into the weekend, and with five games remaining just a single point was needed for Real to clinch the 2021/22 LaLiga title.

Despite winning four UEFA Champions League titles in five years between 2014-18, league championships have come few and far between for Madrid over the past two decades. In 2012 José Mourinho secured the club’s first league crown for four years following a period of domination by FC Barcelona under Pep Guardiola. Since then, Real have been the pinnacle of Spanish football on just three occasions – twice with Zinedine Zidane in 2017 and 2020, and this year under Ancelotti.

Real’s most recent triumph lifts them to a total 35 league titles, nine clear of arch rivals Barcelona on 26. Real and Barca have dominated the Spanish top-flight for close to 40 years, between them capturing all but one of 15 titles towards the end of the 20th century and topping 18 of the 23 seasons since the turn of the century.

Real’s talisman Karim Benzema is building a strong case to scoop his first Ballon d’Or award having endured a simply sensational season and comfortably the most productive of the Frenchman’s career. Benzema (34) has scored 42 goals in as many appearances this term and the attacker sits atop the goal charts in both LaLiga (26) and the Champions League (14).
Currently 11 goals clear of the next-highest scorer in LaLiga, Benzema has unquestionably raised his level up a notch and he is set to reap the rewards of his hard graft – potentially with a triple-trophy haul consisting of the domestic league, Champions League and Ballon d’Or.

Benzema has also registered a league-high 11 assists, whilst teammate Vinícius Júnior has netted 14 league goals and made 9 assists. In addition, Thibaut Courtois has kept 14 clean sheets in the league and Vinícius has provided the joint-most assists (6) in the Champions League. Real’s full focus now turns to the Champions League with the semifinal second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday.

Club captain Marcelo becomes the most decorated player in Real Madrid’s history, having now celebrated 24 honours in Real colours. Marcelo joined Los Blancos in January 2007, aged 18, and the Brazilian left-back has gone on to lift six league titles, four Champions League trophies and the FIFA Club World Cup on four occasions. His other ten winner’s medals have come through five Supercopa de España successes, three UEFA Super Cup titles and twice winning the Copa del Rey.

Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti added a fifth league title to his acclaimed collection and the 62-year-old Italian becomes the first manager in history to conquer all of Europe’s top five leagues in England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Ancelotti is also a three-time Champions League winner and he has ambitions of adding another this season.

Real will want to go from strength to strength by improving the current squad once the transfer market opens next month. Kylian Mbappé and Antonio Rüdiger have both been tipped to sign at the Bernabéu on free transfers, and the success of the current season may see Real’s transfer kitty boosted even further.

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Photo of Interns Interns01/05/2022 - 12:24 pm

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