Real breaks Barca hold with title
Source: Agencies |
May 4, 2012, Friday
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Print Edition
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JOSE Mourinho promised improved results in his second season at Real Madrid, and the Portuguese coach delivered with a record 32nd Spanish league trophy to put a close to Barcelona's domestic dominance.
But while Real set a record goal total and Mourinho became the first manager to win a seventh league title across four different European leagues, his failure to give Madrid a chance at playing for a 10th European Cup by way of a Champions League final appearance will leave a bittersweet taste hanging over this season's accomplishment.
Real secured the Spanish title with a 3-0 victory at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, with Gonzalo Higuain again scoring the goal that clinched the title, just as the Argentina forward did four years ago.
Cristiano Ronaldo led a potent attack that surpassed the record mark of 109 goals set by Madrid 22 years ago, with 115 goals and counting, and two games still to play.
"No one gifted us anything," Mourinho, always blunt, said.
Real may not have met expectations in Europe, despite reaching a second straight semifinal, but at least it finally figured out a way to beat Barcelona. Barcelona had dominated Spain's fiercest rivalry since coach Pep Guardiola's arrival in 2008, winning nine of 14 with only a single loss until Madrid's victory in last month's "clasico" allowed it to take control of the title race and tilt the balance of power in Spain.
"This one was the hardest," Mourinho said of his collective league titles, which include two at FC Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan. "But the next one will be even harder."
Barcelona relinquished its title after three straight years despite winning 4-1 against Malaga in a game in which Lionel Messi broke a 39-year-old European club scoring record by hitting a hat-trick to take his season total to 68 goals.
Messi broke the record of 67 goals Gerd Mueller set for Bayern Munich in 1972-73. He converted penalties in the 35th and 59th minutes and chipped goalkeeper Carlos Kameni in the 64th for his seventh league hat-trick, tying the mark set by Ronaldo this season. The 24-year-old Messi has played 57 games for Barcelona this season, and broke records by scoring 46 goals in the league and 14 in the Champions League.
But while Real set a record goal total and Mourinho became the first manager to win a seventh league title across four different European leagues, his failure to give Madrid a chance at playing for a 10th European Cup by way of a Champions League final appearance will leave a bittersweet taste hanging over this season's accomplishment.
Real secured the Spanish title with a 3-0 victory at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, with Gonzalo Higuain again scoring the goal that clinched the title, just as the Argentina forward did four years ago.
Cristiano Ronaldo led a potent attack that surpassed the record mark of 109 goals set by Madrid 22 years ago, with 115 goals and counting, and two games still to play.
"No one gifted us anything," Mourinho, always blunt, said.
Real may not have met expectations in Europe, despite reaching a second straight semifinal, but at least it finally figured out a way to beat Barcelona. Barcelona had dominated Spain's fiercest rivalry since coach Pep Guardiola's arrival in 2008, winning nine of 14 with only a single loss until Madrid's victory in last month's "clasico" allowed it to take control of the title race and tilt the balance of power in Spain.
"This one was the hardest," Mourinho said of his collective league titles, which include two at FC Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan. "But the next one will be even harder."
Barcelona relinquished its title after three straight years despite winning 4-1 against Malaga in a game in which Lionel Messi broke a 39-year-old European club scoring record by hitting a hat-trick to take his season total to 68 goals.
Messi broke the record of 67 goals Gerd Mueller set for Bayern Munich in 1972-73. He converted penalties in the 35th and 59th minutes and chipped goalkeeper Carlos Kameni in the 64th for his seventh league hat-trick, tying the mark set by Ronaldo this season. The 24-year-old Messi has played 57 games for Barcelona this season, and broke records by scoring 46 goals in the league and 14 in the Champions League.
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