Real in a league of their own clinching 35th Liga title

In a dominating season for Real Madrid, it was fitting that they didn’t even need their best players to win the Spanish league.

Using their back-ups before the Champions League semifinals, Madrid earned a record-extending 35th Liga title with a comfortable 4-0 home win over Espanyol last weekend.

Players and coaches celebrated with the crowd at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium long after the match ended, then paraded to the team’s usual party spot at Cibeles plaza, but there was not a lot of time to rejoice. On Thursday, Madrid are back at the Bernabeu to host Manchester City in the second leg of the Champions League semifinals. Madrid lost 4-3 in the first match in England.

“We know we have an important match ahead of us, but [after clinching the title], we have to celebrate,” said Brazilian veteran Marcelo, who reached a milestone with his 24th career title with Madrid, the most in the club’s history.

“We have to enjoy it, this could help us [on Thursday],” said Carlo Ancelotti, who became the first coach to win the top five European leagues.

The Italian manager won with AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.

Several thousand fans packed the Cibeles plaza to welcome the champions, who mixed messages of celebration for the league title and motivation for Thursday’s match.

The crowd cheered loudly when Marcelo draped the Cibeles statue with Madrid’s flag and scarf.

Rodrygo scored twice and Marco Asensio and substitute Karim Benzema added goals to give Madrid their second league title in three seasons, and third in six years.

Madrid have an insurmountable lead with four rounds to go. They were 17 points in front of Sevilla, who drew with Cadiz 1-1 on Saturday.

“This is how you win leagues,” midfielder Casemiro said. “We’ve done a great job the entire season, being consistent from the start.”