Real Madrid vs Villarreal. Spanish La Liga.
Alfredo Di Stefano.
Report as Real Madrid seal La Liga title with a game to spare; Barcelona lose 2-1 to Osasuna
Friday 17 July 2020 07:25, UK
Karim Benzema's double fired Real Madrid to their 34th La Liga title in a tight 2-1 victory over Villarreal.
The Frenchman's powerful low strike in the 29th minute put the hosts in control and Benzema extended Real's lead by firing in a retaken penalty in the 76th minute at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium.
The original spot-kick taken by Sergio Ramos was chalked off as he bizarrely attempted to pass it to Benzema, who ran into the box before referee Hernandez Hernandez blew his whistle.
Substitute Vicente Iborra scored a powerful header late on (86) for the visitors and substitute Marco Asensio had a goal chalked off by VAR in injury-time, but Real still emerged title winners as second-placed Barcelona lost 2-1 to Osasuna.
Madrid head into their final game with a commanding seven-point lead.
Real Madrid started the contest without nerves with Dani Carvajal's audacious lob, caught by Sergio Asenjo, and a Benzema cross-cum-shot proving early warning shots.
The hosts' opener came in just before the half-hour mark as Luka Modric teed up Benzema on the counter-attack before he fired through Asenjo's legs into the net for the Frenchman's 20th goal of the campaign.
With Villarreal rarely threatening the Real goal, the hosts had the opportunity to extend their lead from the spot in the 72nd minute when Ramos was tripped up by Sofian.
The club captain took the kick but elected to pass it to Benzema, who strayed into the box too early. The retaken penalty was then converted by Benzema low into the bottom-left corner of the net.
Toni Kroos hit the woodwork in the 81st minute before ex-Leicester midfielder Iborra headed in a late reply two minutes later to set up a frantic finish.
Thibaut Courtois, who suffered a nasty head injury midway through the second half, was forced into a fine double save to deny Bruno Soriano and Iborra before Asensio had a goal ruled out by VAR due to a Benzema handball in the build-up.
Zinedine Zidane: "Today is one of the best days for me as a professional and after everything that happened with the three-month break it's fantastic what we've achieved.
"It's strange for everyone. We can't control the situation. We would have loved to have been with the supporters and gone to the Cibeles Fountain and hopefully that can happen further down the line, but for the question of health it can't happen.
"I'm sure the Real Madrid supporters are celebrating happily at home seeing their team win the league again."
Sergio Ramos: "Well it's a prize for all the hard work. The aim to win the games after lockdown, this is the reward.
"We've got one more game to go. To win 10 games on the bounce deserves a lot of credit. It's been a strange season but our objective was very clear once the league restarted, we wanted to win every game.
"We didn't want to depend on others and we had no doubts on the pitch. It's difficult to win every game. Every match is difficult but this is the reward for all of our hard work. 34 leagues and I'm very happy with my fifth title."
Thibaut Courtois: "To return after spending three months locked in our homes and to win 10 matches in a row is incredible, but I always believed in my team and knew we could win it."
Real Madrid will play their final game of the 19/20 season at Leganes. Villarreal, meanwhile, host Eibar on the final day.
