Real Madrid seal La Liga title as Barcelona lose

MADRID: Real Madrid clinched a record-extending 34th La Liga title with one game to spare by beating Villarreal 2-1 at home on Thursday thanks to two goals from their leading scorer Karim Benzema.

Real have 86 points after 37 games, seven more than deposed champions Barcelona who were beaten 2-1 at home to Osasuna.

Benzema fired through the legs of keeper Sergio Asenjo to put Madrid ahead after 29 minutes and converted a penalty in the 77th to help Real on their way to a remarkable 10th consecutive league win since the season resumed after the COVID-19 stoppage.

Benzema had put the ball in the net moments earlier after an audacious pass from the spot kick by original penalty taker Sergio Ramos but it had to be re-taken due to encroachment.

The French forward then stepped up to take the penalty himself and slammed it into the bottom corner to score his 21st league goal of the campaign.

Villarreal pulled a late goal back through Vicente Iborra and should have snatched an equaliser in added time, while Real's Marco Asensio thought he had added a third goal later on but it was ruled out by VAR for offside.

After the match Real captain Ramos hoisted the Liga trophy into the air at the empty Alfredo di Stefano stadium, where the Madrid side have been playing their final games of the season while their Santiago Bernabeu home is being renovated.

Barcelona's reign as La Liga champions came to an embarrassing end as 10-man Osasuna pulled off a shock 2-1 win at the Camp Nouwih a stoppage-time goal.

Having struggled since La Liga restarted in mid-June following the new coronavirus outbreak, the defeat left Barca on 79 points, seven behind Real Madrid with one game left, and the loss prompted an angry broadside from Lionel Messi.

"We didn't expect to finish in this way, but it sums up the year for us. We are a weak team who can be beaten with enough intensity and enthusiasm," the Argentine told Spanish TV.

"We have lost a lot of points which we shouldn't have done. We have been very inconsistent," he added.

"We need to be self-critical, starting with the players, but also across the entire club. We are Barcelona, and we are obliged to win every game." Agencies

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