Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid won the 2023-24 La Liga after beating Cadiz 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday… and then watching Barcelona fall to Girona.
Los Blancos have had one hand on the title for a couple of weeks now, and the 36th came home in spectacular fashion on a perfect Saturday for the Madrid giants. After totally dominating their home game against strugglers Cadiz, they knew anything other than a Barcelona win in Girona would hand them the title.
And Michel’s Girona obliged by dispatching the Blaugrana in a thrilling 4-2 contest to spark wild celebrations on the white side of Madrid. The victory took Girona one point ahead of Xavi’s Barca, but 13 behind Los Blancos, with four rounds of the La Liga campaign still to play.
For many weeks, the La Liga 2024 betting odds have backed Los Blancos, and it was just a matter of time, but it’s always nice to get over the line.
And it was a big day for midfield sensation Jude Bellingham, who scored within two minutes of stepping onto the pitch, after Brahim Diaz had opened the scoring and before Joselu put the icing on the cake in stoppage time. The England star has now scored 22 goals in all competitions in his first season at Madrid, and he has also made ten assists.
Bellingham has exceeded all expectations, and he’s sure to star at Euro 2024 with England and is still a key part of Los Blancos’ Champions League campaign. But it was a bittersweet day for the 20-year-old as the news that his boyhood team Birmingham City had been relegated to the third tier of English football came through.
The next big game for Ancelotti’s men comes on Wednesday when they welcome Bayern Munich for a Champions League second-leg semi-final tie. Keep it here at SBOTOP for all the news and action on a tie that is delicately poised after a 2-2 draw in Munich gave Los Blancos an edge. So there will be no La Liga celebrations at the Santiago Bernabeu as they prepare for their next challenge.
But for the Real Madrid fans, the party went on well into the night.
Girona march on to Europe
There was a fiesta in Girona too, as the league’s surprise package confirmed their participation in the 2024/25 Champions League, as well as handing the La Liga title to Los Blancos, when they roared back from a 2-1 deficit to beat Barcelona 4-2 in a ding-dong Catalan derby.
In an explosive start, Andrea Christensen gave Barca a lead with a spectacular strike but Girona’s lethal weapon Artem Dovbyk levelled within a minute. It was the 26 year old’s 20th league goal of the campaign and the Ukrainian is two goals ahead of Bellingham in the race for the Pichichi. Barca’s Robert Lewandowski is one further back on 17 goals and he restored the visitors lead from the penalty spot after Lamine Yamal had been fouled.
Barca could have been out of sight but Girona keeper Paulo Gazzaniga made an instrike,le save to deny Christensen a second goal while Ilkay Gundogan’s shot cannoned back off the crossbar.
After the break Xavi’s men went for the jugular and it only seemed a matter of time before the Blaugrana extended their lead, but a seven-minute blitz by the hosts turned the match on its head. Dovbyk was on the spot to intercept a loose pass and square for Portu who side footed home the leveller.
Two minutes later the hosts were ahead when Miguel Gutierrez got a huge deflection to help his effort over the line and there was mayhem in the stands when Portu made it 4-2 with a brilliant volley.
This is only Girona’s fourth season in the Primera Division and now they can prepare to join Europe’s elite.
Xavi’s decision to stay at Barcelona has boosted Blaugrana fans and they too will be back in the Champion League next season, with a 12 point lead over Athletic Club in fifth place.
In other La Liga 2024 news Atletico Madrid strengthened their grip on their top four place with a hard fought 1-0 win away to Real Mallorca. Winger Rodrigo Riquelme scored with just five minutes on the clock and Los Rojiblancos had to withstand a Mallorca fight back, conceding 60 per cent possession to their hosts and drawing the shots on target count at four each.
Mallorca still have work to do to avoid relegation and they will have one eye on Celta Viga’s match against Villarreal on Sunday, while Atleti stay six points clear of Athletic Club, who won away to Getafe on Friday night.
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