Real Madrid clinched the La Liga title for the first time since 2008 after their 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.
Goals from Gonzalo Higuain, Mesut Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo sealed their 32nd league crown.Despite Barcelona's 4-1 win over Malaga, Jose Mourinho's men hold a seven-point lead with two games to go.
The
Portuguese becomes the third coach to win league titles in four
different countries after triumphs with Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan.
Mourinho joins Austrian Ernst Happel and Italian veteran Giovanni Trapattoni in the elite club.The success provides much relief for Los Blancos fans after their disappointing defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final.
Having converted 25 consecutive spot-kicks, Ronaldo saw his penalty saved by Manuel Neuer in the shoot-out against the Germans.
And once again, the former Manchester United man was off target, with his penalty kept out by Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz.
Higuain
gave Real the lead with an arrowing effort into the top corner, and
Ronaldo was involved again, laying on Ozil, who tapped in at the back
post, before the Portugal international completed the scoring with a
header.
Earlier in the day, Lionel Messi
broke the record for goals in a top-flight European season as he took
his Barcelona tally to 68 with a hat-trick in the 4-1 win over Malaga.Bayern Munich legend Gerd Mueller's record had stood for 39 years but that mark was bettered as Messi claimed his ninth treble of the season.
