With Real Madrid simply needing to avoid defeat to capture their first La Liga crown in five years, Barcelona held out slim hope that 11th place Malaga could use the friendly confines of Estadio La Rosaleda to play the perfect match and shock the side from the Spanish capital. That hope lasted for all of two minutes before Cristiano Ronaldo delivered Real Madrid their opener.
If Malaga were going to spring any sort of surprise, surrendering a goal that early was always going to be catastrophic. The way in which it was surrendered won’t please Barcelona fans either. A hopeless long ball towards Cristiano Ronaldo should’ve been easily cutout by Luis Hernandez.
However, the Madrid born defender, who spent 13 years at Real Madrid rising through the youth ranks and playing for their C and B teams, carelessly knocked it straight to Isco.
What’s worse, his play toward the ball allowed Ronaldo to run through his abdicated space, and Isco simply threaded it through to the Portuguese for a sensationally easy opener. Real Madrid were happy, and the cynic would say that Hernandez was happy as well.
Now that's starting with intent! @isco_alarcon pass + @Cristiano run = GOAL!!!! pic.twitter.com/rAVvevonTI
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) May 21, 2017
Ronaldo almost added a second for Real, but Malaga also had a couple of chances to equalize in the opening 45. In the 55th minute, Karim Benzema wrapped up the title with a tap-in after Sergio Ramos had his shot saved following a corner.
GOOOAAAALLLL!!!!@Benzema takes the wind out of the @LaLiga sails with an easy tap-in from close range. pic.twitter.com/AV9AhXkvtN
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) May 21, 2017
Ronaldo will get the plaudits considering his form of late, but it really was another poetic performance from Isco over the course of 66 minutes. The 25-year-old was born in Andalusia, played for Malaga for two seasons and was given a standing ovation from both sets of supporters following his removal.
Local lad @isco_alarcon receives a standing ovation from both sets of fans as he makes his way off La Rosaleda turf. pic.twitter.com/KDMwZOWk9T
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) May 21, 2017
And so Real manager Zinedine Zidane adds a La Liga title to his resume in his first full season in charge of the club.
Zidane gets the bumps pic.twitter.com/pLhhZBFH34
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) May 21, 2017
Next up for Zidane and company is the defense of their European crown against Juventus in the Champions League final on June 3 in Cardiff.
Madrid's players interrupt Zidane press conference.... pic.twitter.com/eNXs9K9RCy
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) May 21, 2017
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