Malta Independent

Nonstop celebratio­ns for Real Madrid after winning league title

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Real Madrid’s title celebratio­ns show no sign of abating.

The Spanish champions went to city hall yesterday and toured other iconic sites in the capital to celebrate the 33rd league title they won on Sunday.

The players arrived in Madrid at about 2.30am and went to meet the estimated 50,000 fans who had been waiting since the end of team’s match in the southern coastal city of Malaga. Madrid won 2-0 to finish three points ahead of Barcelona.

Players went to the club’s traditiona­l celebratio­n spot, the Plaza de Cibeles, on top of an open bus which carried the No. 33 and the words “champions” and “thank you madridista­s,” which is what the team’s fans are called.

Fans chanted the club’s songs and anthem, and provoked rivals Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. Defender Gerard Pique, the outspoken defender for the Catalan team, was their main target throughout the night.

Team captain Sergio Ramos took the walkway set up over the plaza’s fountain and draped the statue of the goddess Cibele with a Spain flag that carried Madrid’s name on it. Veteran defender Marcelo then put a team scarf around the goddess’ head to a huge ovation from the crowd as confetti blasted into the air behind the players. The song “We Are The Champions” was played the whole time.

Ramos, who last year also draped the Cibele goddess with a flag after Madrid won the Champions League title, recorded the moment on his cell phone and shared it with the fans.

Players also talked to the crowd, with Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored one of the goals against Malaga, singing one of the traditiona­l songs fans chant during Madrid matches.

Many of the team’s supporters stayed at the plaza long after the squad had left.

Madrid will be trying to win its third Champions League title in four seasons in a final against Juventus in Cardiff on 3 June. It hadn’t won the league since 2012, and the last time it went five consecutiv­e seasons without lifting the trophy had been from 1981-85.

A victory over Juventus next month will give Madrid its first European Cup-Spanish league double in nearly six decades.

 ??  ?? Real Madrid’s players arrive at the Cibeles Square to celebrate Photo: AP
Real Madrid’s players arrive at the Cibeles Square to celebrate Photo: AP

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