Spanish football season’s 10 best moments
La Liga’s longest season ended on Sunday after 12 months and an 11-game sprint finish, with Real Madrid being crowned champions for only the third time in 12 years. Here are 10 of the best moments from the domestic campaign.
Aduriz’s perfect start
La Liga’s goal of the season was arguably its first as Aritz Aduriz delivered a dramatic 89thminute winner against Barcelona with an incredible bicycle kick. Aduriz, 38, had announced this would be his final season and it was the perfect start to a long farewell.
Fati explodes into life
Ansu Fati was 16 years and 304 days old in August when he became the youngest player to score a goal for Barcelona.
The forward’s header sent Spanish football into a frenzy and two weeks later he scored again while becoming Barca’s youngest starting player.
Protests mar Clasico
For the first time in 17 years, a Clasico ended goalless but the match was overshadowed by what Catalan independence protests outside.
Fans saw smoke drift over the stands while outside fires burnt, objects were thrown and riot police tried to restore order.
This Clasico had been postponed in October due to unrest in Catalonia but two months later, tension remained.
Messi’s Eibar quadruple
There was talk of a drought as Messi went without a goal in four games but he made up for lost time by scoring four goals against Eibar in March.
Messi hit a hat-trick within 40 minutes, which was his 36th La Liga treble, and his “poker” took the Argentinian to 20 goals against Eibar in just 11 league matches.
Bale punished for jibe
Gareth Bale’s relationship with Real Madrid has long been complicated but matters came to a head in November, when Bale celebrated behind a banner that read “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that Order”, indicating his list of priorities.
Bale insisted it was a joke, not initiated by him, but Madrid’s fans expressed their disgust with whistles when Bale came on in the next game.
Ocampos heroics in goal
Sevilla’s Lucas Ocampos scored one goal as a winger and saved another as a goalkeeper while preventing Eibar’s goalkeeper from scoring an equaliser.
After putting Sevilla in front against Eibar earlier in July, Ocampos took the gloves for the final few minutes due to an injury to Tomas Vaclik. Eibar keeper Marko Dmitrovic ventured up for a late corner and almost scored, only for Ocampos
to make a crucial save during an incredible end to the match.
Benzema’s Valencia volley
Benzema’s volley in Real Madrid’s 3-0 win over Valencia in June was another contender for goal of the season, a brilliant piece of skill followed by a stunning finish. He feathered the ball midair with one foot while simultaneously lifting it over defender Hugo Guillamon, before smashing it with the other into the top corner.
Unionistas breach Madrid
Their fans stayed long after the final whistle to sing and applaud, even though Unionistas de Salamanca had just lost in the Copa del Rey.
The feeling was of a success after watching their team, launched in 2013 by its supporters, go toe-to-toe with Real Madrid.
Unionistas sat 56 places below their opponents and while an incredible night ended in 3-1 defeat, Alvaro Romero’s goal will never be forgotten.
Aspas sinks Barcelona
Barcelona’s title challenge included many stumbling blocks but the moment that turned the tide was Iago Aspas’s curling free-kick that earned Celta Vigo a last-gasp point in June.
Aspas exploited Barca’s poorly positioned wall by bending the ball inside the near post and celebrated with his shirt off while yelling at empty stands.
Silent derby in Seville
The one match most synonymous with fans in Spain was the first to kick off without any as La Liga returned from its threemonth suspension with Sevilla against Real Betis.
The usually hot, fiery, frenetic Seville derby became the test case for Spanish football in front of empty stands.