Soccer-Ruthless Real celebrate title with crushing win over relegated Granada
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Granada v Real Madrid - Nuevo Estadio de Los Carmenes, Granada, Spain - May 11, 2024 Real Madrid's Arda Guler scores their second goal REUTERS/Jon Nazca
GRANADA, Spain (Reuters) -Newly-crowned LaLiga champions Real Madrid earned an emphatic 4-0 win over relegated Granada on Saturday, extending their unbeaten league run to 28 games.
Carlo Ancelotti's side continued their superb form following their midweek Champions League semi-final win over Bayern Munich, reaching 90 points in the standings, 15 clear of second-placed Girona with three games remaining.
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Granada v Real Madrid - Nuevo Estadio de Los Carmenes, Granada, Spain - May 11, 2024 Real Madrid's Fran Garcia celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates REUTERS/Jon Nazca
Fran Garcia broke the deadlock with an easy finish after a long series of passes in the 38th minute before he set up Arda Guler to slot home and extend the advantage just before halftime.
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Granada v Real Madrid - Nuevo Estadio de Los Carmenes, Granada, Spain - May 11, 2024 Real Madrid players receive the guard of honor before the match from Granada players after winning LaLiga REUTERS/Jon Nazca
Brahim Diaz made it 3-0 in the 49th minute with a shot into the near post, and the Morocco international scored his second nine minutes later off a Luka Modric pass from the right.
"We all wanted to show that we want to get maximum points in the league. I'm very happy with the goals," Diaz told RMTV.
"I reached 12 goals and seven assists. It's very easy to play here, with these team mates. The most important thing is the titles. We already have the Super Cup, the league and we want the Champions League."
Granada remain in 19th place with 21 points, while 15th-placed Mallorca's victory over Las Palmas earlier in the day confirmed their relegation after just one season in the top flight.
"You could have expected it, of course, but when Mallorca wins it becomes mathematical and getting relegated, it's one of the most complicated games we've ever played," Granada defender Carlos Neva told DAZN.
"I told my team mates that we should finish fighting, with our heads held high. We should enjoy the top flight, because we don't know if we'll ever play in it again."
Real boss Ancelotti meanwhile had words of encouragement for the relegated side.
"In sport you have to look at defeat too, it has to be an opportunity to do better in the future," the Italian told reporters.
"Granada is an important club and they will try everything to get promoted next season and they have the chance to do it."
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City, editing by Pritha Sarkar and Toby Davis)