Real Madrid outshine Barcelona to clinch yet another La Liga crown

With all due respect to the title rivals of Real Madrid, this race has been more of a parade than a nail-biting competition. And that's been the case for quite some time now.  

Just last month, Jude Bellingham's injury-time goal against Barcelona in El Clasico effectively knocked out the only team that posed a genuine challenge. Real have been dominating every key statistical category this season. They've scored the most goals, conceded the fewest, created the most chances, and had the most shots on target.

However, despite their commanding position, there was still a job to be done against Cadiz. Real knew that a victory against them on Saturday, coupled with Barcelona dropping points against Girona, would secure them a record-extending 36th La Liga title with four games to spare. 

Despite the high stakes, Coach Carlo Ancelotti showed not a hint of nerves and decided to heavily rotate his squad in preparation for the impending Champions League semifinal second leg against Bayern Munich.

The Italian tactician made a staggering 10 changes to the starting lineup, with only defender Nacho Fernandez retaining his position from the previous match. Nevertheless, the depth and quality in Real Madrid's squad proved immeasurable as their second-string rose to the occasion.

Following a tightly contested first half, it was Brahim Diaz who made the decisive impact, elegantly curling the ball into the net from the edge of the box to open the scoring. Not content with just that, he then provided an assist to Bellingham, who had started the game on the bench but wasted no time in finding the back of the net just three minutes after coming on. 

Bellingham has truly been a standout performer in Real's remarkable season, notching up 18 goals in 26 La Liga appearances in his debut campaign with the club. Adding to the excitement, the third goal came from an unlikely source, as captain Nacho made a daring surge forward to find Joselu at the far post.

With the final whistle confirming Real's victory, they sit comfortably on 87 points from 34 games. As the attention shifted elsewhere, all eyes turned to the clash between Barcelona and Girona, as it was there that the fate of the league title would be decided.  

Christensen's early goal hinted that Barcelona were determined to postpone the celebrations of their arch-rivals for another week. However, their hopes were quickly dashed as Artem Dovbyk swiftly equalized for Girona with a well-placed header. The tide turned in favor of the visitors when Robert Lewandowski regained the lead for Girona, capitalizing on a foul committed by Miguel Gutierrez on Lamine Yamal. The Polish striker calmly slotted the ball into the net.

Girona continued to defy expectations, equalizing once again through substitute Portu just moments after his introduction. Shortly thereafter, the scoreline read 3-2, with Gutierrez redeeming himself by finding the back of the net. Portu played a crucial role in assisting the goal, but he wasn't finished yet. The dynamic forward soon showcased his individual brilliance by scoring a spectacular effort that left Marc-Andre ter Stegen helpless.

Meanwhile, the corks were popping in Madrid, as Barcelona failed to mount a comeback and slipped down to third place in the standings. Xavi's team, who have endured the bitter taste of defeat in three out of their last four matches across all competitions, now find themselves with four remaining games to battle for second place.

In stark contrast, Real have only suffered a solitary league defeat this season, positioning them to potentially finish the campaign with a staggering 99 points, which would mark their second-highest total ever. Their dominance becomes even more apparent when considering that they have now won a sensational nine more league titles than Barcelona, who currently hold 27. Judging by the evident and growing disparity between these two powerhouses, Barca's quest for their 28th league trophy would be a distant prospect.