Real take the glory as Guardiola bids farewell

Madrid (AFP) The La Liga season started on the back of three consecutive Barcelona title triumphs, dating back to Pep Guardiola taking the reins at the club for the 2008-09 season.

The Catalan coach also added two Champions Leagues, a Spanish Cup, with one more to play for later this month, and various other trophies that currently add up to a haul of 13 in four seasons.

So for some it is still difficult to comprehend the outcome of this season's competition that saw Barcelona relinquish their grip on the title to Real Madrid, go out to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final and, most significantly, Guardiola's decision to stand down as the most successful manager the club has ever had.

Prize for consistency

Jose Mourinho, more than anyone else, has been central to this very Spanish drama where the power has shifted from the Catalan coastal city to the Spanish capital as Real Madrid claimed their 32nd Spanish title.

Arriving in Madrid for the start of the last of Barca's trio of titles with a squad full of stars, Mourinho had one remit, to stop their greatest rivals.

He began by taking a Spanish Cup from them in his first season, but could not stop the ‘blaugrana' from claiming another title and the Champions League.

This season, however, Madrid's title with a record-breaking 100 points was a prize for their consistency. Mourinho's side scored a record 121 goals, winning 32 out of 38 games, 16 each both home and away.

Cristiano Ronaldo managed 46 of those goals. However, in a season of records, Lionel Messi went one step further in notching 50.

Madrid can also look to the contributions of Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain, with 21 and 22 goals, and midfielders Xabi Alonso, consistent as ever and Angel Di Maria whose assists helped them to many victories before injury hampered his season.

At the back, Sergio Ramos and Pepe were dominant in the centre of defence meaning Madrid rarely looked in trouble once they went ahead.

Their defensive record of conceding 32 in 38 games was very similar to that of Barca who only saw 29 goals go past them all season.

Third-placed Valencia were not able to live with the top two but still guaranteed themselves Champion League football, despite racking up the lowest points total — 61 — for a third-placed side since La Liga moved to 20 teams in 1987-88.

Aston Villa

McLeish sacked

Alex McLeish was sacked as manager of Aston Villa on Monday, fewer than 24 hours after the end of his first season in charge.

In a statement, the Premier League club said McLeish's contract had been "terminated with immediate effect".

The Scot was an unpopular appointment with many Villa fans after he oversaw city rivals Birmingham's relegation from the Premier League last term.

— AFP