Real Madrid wins its record-extending 36th Spanish league title after Barcelona loses at Girona
Real Madrid has won its record-extending 36th Spanish league title after securing an insurmountable 13-point lead over second-place Girona with four games remaining
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Real Madrid put its Spanish rivals out of their misery by clinching the league title on Saturday with four games remaining, just in time to turn its full focus to its Champions League semifinal with Bayern Munich.
Madrid did the expected and beat relegation-threatened Cadiz 3-0 even though it was mostly with bench players. Barcelona then lost 4-2 at Girona with a collapse that coach Xavi Hernández admitted was typical of his team's trophyless season.
That combination of results secured Madrid its record-extending 36th Spanish league title with Girona, which leapfrogged Barcelona into second place, facing an insurmountable 13-point deficit with only a maximum 12 points left in play.
Only a victory by Barcelona at Girona would have stopped Madrid from celebrating the title on Saturday.
