La Liga - Barca win Liga after Real lose

Eurosport - Sun, 17 May 08:50:00 2009

Barcelona were gifted their 19th La Liga title without kicking a ball on Saturday when second-placed Real Madrid were beaten 3-2 at Villarreal.

FOOTBALL Villarreal - Real Madrid 2008-2009 - 0

Robert Pires, Cani and Joan Capdevila scored for the hosts, delivering Barca's second piece of silverware in a week after the Catalans overcame Athletic Bilbao 4-1 in the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday.

Barca can make it a treble by defeating Manchester United in the Champions League final in Rome on May 27.

Real have 78 points and two games left, eight points shy of Barcelona who visit Real Mallorca on Sunday.

The visitors looked short on confidence and ideas at the Madrigal and fell behind when Pires headed home Ariel Ibagaza's cross in the 17th minute.

Real coach Juande Ramos threw on Gonzalo Higuain at half-time and the Argentine striker's first intervention was to cross low for Rafael van der Vaart to sidefoot the equaliser from close range.

Cani drove in at the near post to make it 2-1 and although Higuain levelled with two minutes to go, Capdevila pounced on a late fumble from keeper Iker Casillas to send Real to their third consecutive defeat.

Elsewhere, Sevilla and Deportivo Coruna's European aspirations were dented when they were both held to draws by sides fighting to avoid relegation.

Third-placed Sevilla were held to a 0-0 draw away to Osasuna with the Andalucians on the back foot for much of the game.

Both sides hit the crossbar and after Sevilla had Ndri Romaric sent off near the end, Osasuna defender Sergio Fernandez soon followed.

Sevilla move five points clear of fourth on to 64 points in their bid to secure the third automatic Champions League qualification place.

Deportivo remain sixth with 57 points after their striker Ivan Riki scored a late equaliser against his former club Getafe for a 1-1 home draw.

Roberto Soldado had headed the visitors in front just after the restart.

Getafe are 14th with 38 points, one more than Osasuna and four above the relegation zone.

Reuters

Comment 9 - 28 of 68

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  1. BARCA IS THE REALLUB.JOIN THE WINERS CLUB. Morgan­ Nigeria

    From barrsimonbunce, on Sun 17 May 12:13AM

  2. today in noon i was in canalitas i saw barca fans­ prepering for party
    but what takes my tension was the­ newspepars & magazin there was alot writen about­ the possibility of rebery villa & fabrigas coming­ to barca
    i think it is a clear signal that they will be­ in place of eto'o iniesta & tore
    this 3 r­ coming with perez in charge just like suster & figo

    From getachew44, on Sun 17 May 12:08AM

  3. today in noon at canalitas i saw barca fans prepering­ for party
    but what takes my tension was the newspepars­ & magazin there was alot writen about the­ possibility of rebery villa & fabrigas coming
    i­ think it is a clear signal that they will be in­ eto'o iniesta & tore's place
    this 3 r­ coming with perez in charge just like suster & figo

    From getachew44, on Sun 17 May 12:06AM

  4. y barca fans attack ronaldo?
    i think they are feeling­ that messi is almost ended like ronaldinho when­ nisterlroy came
    no one is above ronaldo he is a player­ that have good talet, good freekick, good header, fast,­ good shots, good assist, top scorer & the main­ thing he plays with both legs & head very well­ while on other hand messi the only thing he is good is­ to run with the ball and can't play well with right­ foot & head
    ronaldo is by far better

    From getachew44, on Sat 16 May 11:50PM

  5. Unless I am wrong, isn't the Spanish league called­ La Liga, and not just Liga?

    From daniel, on Sat 16 May 11:49PM

  6. Chelski rent boys adios till august . now go away.

    From Dean, on Sat 16 May 11:43PM

  7. boow, why slag of utd and call them cheaters? They beat­ you fairly last year, and this year barca got lots of­ luck against chelseA!!

    From d.papas, on Sat 16 May 11:41PM

  8. Visca del barca.nigeria loves you. gettachew44 , find a­ LIFE. YOU ARE A LOSER!! FROM THE PIT OF HELL!!!

    From contactvikamscientific, on Sat 16 May 11:40PM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    NO, JURIDALLAS, I'M A MAN UTD PORTUGUESE FAN.­ I'M JUST WARNING BARÇA TO PARTY TONIGHT BECAUSE­ THEY'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE GREAT CR7 IN ROME.­ I'M ALREADY SEEING HIM SCORING IN A THUNDERING­ FREE-KICK!!!
    CAROUSEL?! HA HA HA. I SAW BARÇA PLAYING­ 180 MIN AGAINST CHELSEA AND YOU JUST COULDN'T DO­ ANYTHING AGAINST THEM. ONLY SHOT ON GOAL IN LONDON AT­ 92ND MINUTE?! THAT'S RIDICULOUS. THANK OVREBO.

    From Vítor, on Sat 16 May 11:38PM

  10. Im a chelsea supporter n i hope barca tear united apart

    From Jamie, on Sat 16 May 11:35PM

  11. Real Madrid is so pathetic that Raul would even score­ the goal with a hand to even the game.Thats why YOU­ SUCK !!!!! Miserable team of rookies and Ronaldo wont­ help you next year. GO­ BARCELONA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Show­ that ,so called football players, what real team is­ about.

    From anna, on Sat 16 May 11:31PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    now that is that & start thinking about the stars­ coming
    ronaldo eto iniesta tore garay & clichy can­ change alot
    especialy when perez said there are players­ coming from our rivals

    From getachew44, on Sat 16 May 11:29PM

  13. now that is that & start thinking about the stars­ coming
    ronaldo eto iniesta tore garay & clichy can­ change alot

    From getachew44, on Sat 16 May 11:27PM

  14. Campeones campeones olé olé olé !!

    From Tim, on Sat 16 May 11:26PM

  15. BARCA ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From Sha, on Sat 16 May 11:25PM

  16. Congrats to all of us Barca fans and it is so so nice­ to have the double. By the way we beat our own record­ as the double was achieved only by Barca back in 98.­ Now time for #3 and send ManU to the cleaners once and­ for all.

    Now let's all say it­ together.OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEE­ EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE VISCA DEL BARCA

    From bassam, on Sat 16 May 11:23PM

  17. well done villareal u gave them the title
    barca start­ party in las ramblas & canalitas before the game­ because they have faith on villareal

    From getachew44, on Sat 16 May 11:17PM

  18. VISCA BARCA! EL CAMPEONES!­ WOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW
    WH­ ERE IS THAT MADRID MORON WHO SAID MADRID WAS STILL­ GOING TO WIN DESPITE THEIR HEAVY SLAPPING BY BARCELONA?­ WHERE R U NOW WITH UR UGLY MOUTH?

    From Pooks, on Sat 16 May 11:15PM

  19. MAN U IS JUST A BUNCH OF @#$% AND IDIOTS! THEY WIN BY­ CHEATING!

    From Pooks, on Sat 16 May 11:14PM

  20. WHAT IS MAN UNITED??? THEY ARE CHAMPIONS OF CHEATING!!!­ SAF IS ALWAYS INFLUENCING REFEREES AND THAT CRISTIANO­ DIVER-ALDO IS A LOSER!
    BARCA WILL THUMP THEM OFF THEIR­ CROWN ON THE 27TH. EUROSPORT, WHETHER U ALLOW MY­ COMMENT TO BE POSTED OR NOT, U R JUST A LOSING TEAM­ LIKE MAN UNITED. U CHEATS ALL!

    BARCA! BARCA!! BARCA!!!

    From Pooks, on Sat 16 May 11:13PM
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