MADRID -- Real Madrid clinched its 32nd Spanish league title
and first in four years with a 3-0 win at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday night.
Gonzalo Higuain scored for Real in the 16th minute and
Mesut Ozil doubled the lead four minutes later. Cristiano Ronaldo added
his 58th goal of the season in the 50th, making up for a penalty kick in the
12th that was saved by goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz.
Madrid (30-2-4) has 94 points and a seven-point lead over
Barcelona (27-3-6) with two games left. The Catalans had won the previous three
titles.
"The players are all very happy after 10 months of
fighting, of training, of games, the objective was to be champion so we are
happy to have achieved it," said Ronaldo, whose own celebration included a
rude gesture directed toward the home fans. "To have beaten a team like
Barca makes this league win more difficult. It's much better to win against one
of the best teams. It makes it better."
Madrid's players celebrated on the field with coach Jose
Mourinho, who flashed seven fingers representing the number of league titles
won in his career, following two apiece at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan.
"This was the most difficult one," Mourinho said.
Messi got his ninth hat trick of the season in Barcelona's
4-1 win over Malaga, breaking the record of 67 goals Gerd Mueller had set for
Bayern Munich in 1972-73.
Mueller scored 36 Bundesliga goals in 1972-73, 12 each in
the European Cup and the German League Cup and seven in the German Cup.souce
