Real and Ramos hail ‘toughest’ title win
Real Madrid’s latest La Liga triumph was the most difficult of their 34, as it coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic, president Florentino Perez said as the club marked the achievement in a subdued manner.
Real normally celebrate winning trophies with a parade in front of tens of thousands of supporters at the Cibeles Fountain in the Spanish capital, but stayed away from the city centre to prevent a mass gathering which would risk spreading the virus.
Instead, they held a small ceremony with local politicians at their Valdebebas training ground yesterday, after clinching the title the night before with a 2-1 win over Villarreal, their 10th consecutive victory since the campaign resumed.
“Madrid fans feel prouder than ever of our players. This is the toughest league there will ever be, but these players and coach have been a true example. It’s a special league title in these difficult times,” Perez said.
“The trophy is in memory of those who have suffered during the pandemic. Many people have left us, including very important people in this club. It’s a league title which represents the fight against adversity.”
Captain Sergio Ramos said: “It’s a day for us to remember everyone who has suffered. I hope this title can be of some help. We also show our gratitude to everyone who made sure football returned. We would all like to have gone to Cibeles, but we have to lead by example.”
Ramos has vowed to stay at Madrid until he retires after lifting his fifth La Liga title with the club and, at 34, having played as big a role as anyone in their latest triumph, he is showing no signs of slowing down.
Real’s captain since Iker Casillas left in 2015, Ramos has scored a career-best 10 goals this season, including five in Real’s relentless run of 10 consecutive wins since the resumption. Yet, even as he has committed himself more in attack, he has managed mostly to iron out the haphazard elements of his defensive game that sometimes prove to be Real’s undoing, instead marshalling the best back line in Europe. He has even avoided red cards in the league this season, no small feat for La Liga’s most dismissed player of all time.
Ramos’s pivotal role in Real’s first title since 2017 must have felt all the sweeter after last year’s catastrophic season. Then his side finished 19 points behind champions Barcelona and the defender was repeatedly caught out.
His wayward form led to more uncertainty about his future, with one year remaining on his contract, but that question has been settled.
“Ramos will be here for the rest of his life, everyone can relax,” Perez said. “He is much more than a captain, he has been incredible as a leader. The team has unbelievable team spirit and that is all down to him.”