Israel Saria
Eurosport –
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.
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.
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