MADRID (AP) — In an dominating season for Real Madrid, it was only fitting that it didn’t even need its best players to win the Spanish league.
Using its backups ahead of the Champions League semifinals, Madrid earned a record-extending 35th Spanish league title with a comfortable 4-0 home win over Espanyol on Saturday.
Rodrygo scored twice and Marco Asensio and substitute Karim Benzema added on to give Madrid its second league title in three seasons, and third in six years.
The victory gave Madrid an insurmountable lead with four rounds to go. It was 17 points in front of Sevilla, which drew with Cádiz 1-1 on Friday, and 18 points ahead of Barcelona, which hosts Mallorca on Sunday.
Madrid has nine more league titles than Barcelona.
Carlo Ancelotti became the first coach to lift trophies in the top five European leagues. The Italian manager won with AC Milan in Serie A, Chelsea in the English Premier League, Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1, and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
Veteran Brazilian Marcelo also reached a milestone with his 24th career title with Madrid, the most in the club’s history.
There was not a lot of time to celebrate, though, as on Wednesday Madrid is back at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium to host Manchester City in the second leg of the Champions League semifinals. Madrid lost 4-3 in the first match in England.
Ancelotti rested most of his regular starters against Espanyol, including Benzema and his attacking teammate Vinícius Júnior. Only goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and midfielders Casemiro and Luka Modric made the starting lineup.
Benzema, Vinícius and Toni Kroos entered the match in the second half, and Benzema closed the scoring in the 81st for his league-leading 26th goal.
Casemiro had to play improvised as a central defender because David Alaba was out injured and Nacho Fernández and Éder Militão were suspended.
Marcelo started at left back and surpassed the 23 titles won by great Francisco “Paco” Gento, who died this year at age 88. The 33-year-old Brazilian tied Gento when Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup in January, a few days before Gento's death.
Marcelo gave the pass to countryman Rodrygo to open the scoring from near the penalty spot in the 33rd minute. Rodrygo added to the lead 10 minutes later and Marco Asensio scored the third goal in the 55th.
Tennis great Rafael Nadal gave the ceremonial kickoff at the Bernabéu, and it didn't take long into the match before the crowd began singing “Campeones, campeones.”
It was a well-deserved title as Madrid got off to a good start and fended off every run by its challengers. It led after all but six rounds early in the season, being at the top since the 14th round in November.
The only question now is if Atlético Madrid will agree to give its city rival a “guard of honor" before the teams meet at Atlético's Wanda Metropolitano Stadium next Sunday.
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Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press
