MADRID, May 22: Thousands of Real Madrid fans, many decked in the famous white team jersey, converged in the centre of the Spanish capital to celebrate the club’s 33rd league title after a 2-0 win over Malaga.

Elated fans cheered and lit flares when the squad arrived on an open-top bus bearing the word “Campeones” (champions) on the side at the club’s traditional celebration spot, the Plaza de Cibeles, as confetti rained down.

Team captain Sergio Ramos and other players decked in white shirts with the number 33 on the back filmed the crowd with mobile phones from the top of the bus, which was escorted by police on horseback.

Ramos took to a walkway over the plaza’s fountain and draped the statue of the goddess Cybele with the club flag just before 3:00 am (0100 GMT) as Queen’s anthem “We Are the Champions” blared out from loudspeakers.

Real Madrid left-back Marcelo then tied a team scarf around the statue as the crowd cheered.

“We have to win the Champions League now. We are counting on all of your support. Let’s Go! Thank you very much,” Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo said atop the walkway before singing along with the crowd.

Ronaldo and French striker Karim Benzema scored the two goals which gave Real their win over Malaga and their first Spanish league title since 2012.

The club will pursue a third UEFA Champions League victory in four seasons in the final against Juventus, who on Sunday secured third successive Serie A and Coppa Italia double, in Cardiff on June 3.

“This is great and on June 3 against Juventus it will be even better,” said 37-year-old Real supporter Emilio Guillen as he celebrated with friends at Plaza de Cibeles.

If Real win the Champions League, it would be the club’s first La Liga and European champions cup double in nearly six decades.

Many fans heaped praise on Real coach Zinedine Zidane, the former French international who took over the club for his first head coaching job less than two years ago.

“Hiring Zidane was the best decision Real has made in a long time,” said Alfredo Cordero, 36, who had a club flag drapped over his back and carried a large plastic cup of sangria.

The team will be welcomed to Madrid city hall on Monday for a ceremony to celebrate their Spanish league win.

“They are players of a very high quality, so I don’t have to say more. I am a Real Madrid fan and I am thrilled,” said 31-year-old Real supporter Alvaro Morales.-AFP

MADRID, May 7: Alvaro Morata and James Rodriguez scored twice as a much-changed Real Madrid moved to within three victories of winning La Liga with a 4-0 demolition of Tony Adams’s already-relegated Granada.

Earlier, Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez were all on target to take their combined tally for the season to 102 as Barcelona kept pace at the top with a 4-1 win over Villarreal.

Barca remain top thanks to their superior head-to-head record with the two locked on 84 points, but Real have three games remaining to the Catalans’ two.

Real coach Zinedine Zidane continued his rotation policy of recent weeks with nine changes from the side that beat Atletico Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday as hat-trick hero Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of the squad entirely.

However, it mattered little as Real maintained their perfect La Liga record in nine games without Ronaldo this season.

“For a coach it is the best possible news,” said Zidane.

“It means that everyone is involved, in good physical condition, every time they get a chance to play they do well. I can only be satisfied with that.”

Barely two minutes had gone when Lucas Vazquez got in behind the Granada defence and squared for Rodriguez to tap home the opener.

The Colombian then powered home a header from Fabio Coentrao’s cross just nine minutes later.

Adams made a substitution after just 16 minutes as Uche Agbo replaced Aly Malle, but it couldn’t prevent the one-way traffic.

“Real Madrid are at another level to us, they’ve got some fantastic players but we gave it to them too easily in the first-half,” said Adams.

Morata blasted home Danilo’s low cross then bullied Martin Hongla out of the way to fire home his 20th goal of the season.

Vazquez then hit the bar and Casemiro somehow shot over with the goal at his mercy as Madrid’s dominance of the first 45 minutes left some Granada fans in tears.

Real had mercy on the hosts after the break, but now just need seven points from their last three games against Sevilla, Celta Vigo and Malaga to seal a first La Liga title in five years.

Barca maintained the pressure on the European champions with all of their front three on top form against Villarreal.

Neymar took advantage of a blocked shot from Messi to prod home the opener from close range after 21 minutes.

However, Villarreal striker Cedric Bakambu continued his brilliant form to bring the visitors levels just 11 minutes later when he streaked clear of Gerard Pique before slotting home his seventh goal in six games.

Barca got a slice of luck to regain the lead just before the break as Messi’s effort from the edge of the area deflected beyond Andres Fernandez for the Argentine’s 50th goal of the season and to bring up a combined 100 for he, Suarez and Neymar for the campaign.

Suarez took that tally to 101 and killed the game off as a contest when he turned Jaume Costa and fired low and hard past Fernandez.

Costa was also the man at fault as he was harshly adjudged to have handled inside his own box after a sensational piece of skill from Neymar eight minutes from time.

“Any football fan should value what Neymar does,” said Barca coach Luis Enrique.

“Often it seems much more like ballet than a football move. It is exceptional, beautiful, effective and spectacular.”

And Messi chipped the resulting penalty down the middle of the goal to round off the scoring.

Atletico guaranteed a top-four finish as Saul Niguez’s winner 21 minutes from time earned a 1-0 win over Eibar.

At the other end of the table Sporting Gijon kept their hopes of staying up alive with a 1-0 win over Las Palmas.