Real Madrid won the league but on the same day Girona reached the Champions League and it felt like an even bigger achievement.
Both clubs got to celebrate while Barcelona could only rage against a mediocre campaign in which not only are they not the best team in Spain, they are not even the best team in the region of Catalonia.
Forward Artem Dovbyk has made a major impact for Girona, who have shocked everybody this campaign.
Meanwhile, a host of stars made significant contributions to Real’s title success, including Jude Bellingham.
Mail Sport’s Pete Jenson brings you ten things we learned from a decisive weekend in LaLiga.
Real Madrid were crowned LaLiga champions on an eventful weekend in the division
Michel is eager for his Girona side to be drawn against Liverpool in the Champions League
Michel wants Liverpool
When you’ve just beaten Barcelona 8-2 on aggregate you have the license to ask for whatever you want if you are Girona manager Michel.
He wants Liverpool and either Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League draw.
He wants to go to Anfield, the Allianz Arena and to see the Yellow Wall. Those clubs will not fancy going to Montilivi if that’s where Girona play their European games next season.
Vinicius celebrates business as usual
Vinicius celebrated the league title by rubbing salt in the Barcelona wounds with a tweet referencing Ronald Araujo’s famous ‘The start of a new era’ battle cry after Barcelona won the Spanish Super Cup in 2023.
Contrary to what optimistic Barça fans believed back then it was not the dawning of a new era of Barça domination, just the same old Madrid, albeit with a new generation of players.
Vinicius Junior posted ‘la nueva era’ as he mocked Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo
Bellingham’s debut season was perfect
Bellingham was the pick of those young stars. There was a 10 out of 10 rating for him in Marca’s ratings for the season.
And with him set to finish as the team’s top scorer and the player with the fourth most minutes it’s hard to argue with the perfect score. And all this in his first campaign, aged only 20.
Jude Bellingham received a perfect score from Marca after Real Madrid won the title
Laporta should be angry with himself
‘This will not do,’ Joan Laporta was heard lamenting repeatedly after he left his seat in the directors box at Montilivi. Not for the first time this season he was doing little to hide his fury – although there were no reports of any canapé trays sent flying this time.
The president must take his share of the blame too. He oversaw the departure of Jordi Cruyff and Mateu Alemany last summer.
Their signings won the league last year, this time around the likes of Joao Felix Joao Cancelo, Vitor Roque and Oriol Romeu brought in by Laporta-appointment Deco were not up to the task.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta needs to take his share of the blame for the club’s struggles
Roque future between Barcelona and their young Brazilian
Roque cost an initial fee of 30m euros when he arrived in the winter window but has barely been used by Xavi and sat watching the 4-2 defeat to Girona from the bench on Saturday.
His wife Dayana Lis couldn’t resist showing her feelings on social media with three emojis. One with the hand covering the mouth seemed to say that it was best that she said nothing, although she said plenty with the message.
Roque, 19-years-old, has played just 315 minutes since arriving.
Vitor Roque was on the bench for the defeat to Girona, which annoyed his wife Dayana Lis
Modric in a league of his own
Luca Modric’s influence may be fading but this league title still counts as one of his and he now has 25 trophies at Real Madrid. He equals Karim Benzema and Marcelo.
Winning the European Cup would put him clear of the field. What a way to go out.
Luka Modric now has 25 trophies at Real Madrid after being involved in their LaLiga success
Girona quids-in if they finish second
There is a financial reward for finishing second for Girona – a point clear of Barça with four to play. If they take Barcelona’s place in the Spanish Super Cup they will earn a sizeable fee.
It will not be the €6m that Barcelona would be due because the Saudi hosts pay the Spanish Football Federation less if Barça or Madrid don’t make it.
But it will still hope them to keep growing and it goes towards boosting their permitted salary limit, which this season was only the 15th highest in Spain.
Dovbyk the first to 20
With the days of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo scoring 20 goals before Christmas gone, this has been the magic number for strikers in Spain at the end of the season.
Girona’s Ukraine forward Artem Dovbyk is the first to break through the barrier this year. If he can hold off the challenge of Jude Bellingham on 18 and Robert Lewandowski on 17 then he will finish LaLiga’s top scorer.
Girona’s Ukraine forward Artem Dovbyk is the first player to get 20 goals in LaLiga this season
Lewandowski on a free
Barça’s Polish striker could still overtake Dovbyk but even if he does Barcelona believe he’s worth more to them gone than retained.
They would even accept a no-transfer fee sale for him if it meant them not having to pay his wages for another season – an estimated €30m gross for the 35-year-old.
Barcelona could be prepared to allow Robert Lewandowski to leave for free this summer
Girona are the comeback kings
And the last word on Girona. Along with all the other things we can say about their brilliant campaign, they are extraordinary in adversity.
Eight times this season they have been behind in games and come back to win.
