15 Sports Sunday, July 19, 2020 Real Madrid clinch 34th La Liga title with game to spare For me this is one of the best days in my professional career: Zidane MADRID: Real Madrid were crowned La Liga sitting top of the table but draws with Sevilla, strug- champions for the 34th time on Thursday after gling Celta Vigo and Atletico Madrid allowed Karim Benzema scored twice in a 2-1 victory over Madrid to take charge. Villarreal which clinched the title with one game to Barca were also in first place when they sacked spare. Benzema’s double included a second-half Ernesto Valverde in January and while the club’s penalty at the empty Alfredo di Stefano Stadium as problems go deeper than their coach, Quique Madrid moved seven points clear to end Barcelona’s Setien’s position will come under scrutiny. two-year hold on the trophy. “Things have to change,” said Messi. “Everyone Barca had to prevail against Osasuna at home and here in the club will be feeling very angry about hope Madrid slipped up but their fading challenge what has happened this season and that’s normal. ended with a 2-1 defeat at Camp Nou, despite a bril- The players feel like that too.” Messi added: “We liant Lionel Messi free-kick. It means Madrid claim have to be self-critical, starting with the players, but their third La Liga title in 12 years, after a relentless across the whole club.” run of form since Spanish football resumed on June Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said 11 following the coronavirus pandemic. Zinedine Zidane’s side have won 10 games out 10 since the restart. They have conceded four goals in that time and never been behind in a match. “For me this is one of the best days in my professional career,” said Zidane. “After lockdown and every- It’s bloody thing, it’s astonishing.” Asked if it trumps the Champions League titles fantastic Madrid won in his first spell as manager, Zidane said: “This is better than anything. It takes a tremendous effort to win La Liga. After 38 matches, you have more points than anyone else. It’s bloody fantastic.” Madrid have also been awarded five penalties VALDEBEBAS: Real Madrid’s players celebrate winning the Liga title after the Spanish League football during the run-in, some of them controversially, and this week that Setien will remain in charge for next match between Real Madrid CF and Villarreal CF at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Valdebebas, on the this one caused a stir too as Sergio Ramos tried to month’s Champions League tie against Napoli but outskirts of Madrid, on July 16, 2020. — AFP roll the ball to Benzema, who finished, but had the coach’s decision to leave Luis Suarez out of the entered the area too early. starting line-up for a second consecutive game will Much to Villarreal’s irritation, Madrid were raise questions. tripped by the dangling leg of Sofian Chakla. But Roberto Torres finished at the back post to wrap up allowed to retake and this time Benzema made no Yet few could argue Madrid deserve the title and his ploy to tee up Benzema backfired when his Barca’s miserable night at the end of a turbulent sea- mistake, before Vicente Iborra headed in what it was fitting that Benzema delivered it, his double teammate encroached too early. Benzema convert- son. Real Mallorca’s hopes of survival are over after proved a late consolation. taking his tally for the season to 26 in all competi- ed the re-take. they lost 2-1 at home to Granada but Alaves guaran- “It’s a prize for all the work we’ve done, this is the tions. His first came after 28 minutes when Casemiro Iborra headed in Mario Gaspar’s cross to set up a teed their safety by winning atReal Betis. With reward,” said Ramos. “We have one more match and stole possession in midfield and freed Luka Modric. nervy finish but Barcelona were still being held by Espanyol already down, the final relegation spot will we want to win 11 out of 11.” He slid through Benzema, who fired through the legs Osasuna. Messi’s curling free-kick into the top cor- be between Celta Vigo, who lost 3-2 to Levante, and of Sergio Asenjo. ner had cancelled out Osasuna’s opener from Jose Leganes, who beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0. Leganes are SETIEN UNDER PRESSURE AT BARCA Ramos had scored five goals himself since the Arnaiz, once of Barca B. a point behind and play on Sunday at home to Real After three months away, Barcelona had returned restart and could have had a sixth after he was But Osasuna had a final trick up their sleeve as Madrid while Celta visit Espanyol. — AFP Stokes says his success is more Arteta has ‘faith’ than just ‘instinct’ in Arsenal despite MANCHESTER: Ben Stokes said he was now more spending fears than just a purely instinctive cricketer after the all- rounder’s latest superb century left England strong- ly-placed in the second Test against the West Indies. LONDON: Mikel Arteta insists he has “full Stokes top-scored with 176 in England’s first faith” in Arsenal’s board despite recently innings 469-9 declared, before the West Indies admitting he is worried about the club’s reached 32-1 at the close of Friday’s second day at Old spending power. Gunners boss Arteta raised Trafford. This was the second-highest of Stokes’s 10 eyebrows after this week’s win against Test hundreds, behind his blistering 258 against South Liverpool when he said it was a “big concern” Africa at Cape Town in 2016. But, more significantly, it that he may not be given the finances to mount was also his fourth Test century since the start of 2019, a Premier League title challenge. during which time the left-hander has averaged over His side are preparing for a fourth season 52 — the sign of a world-class batsman. out of the lucrative Champions League and As was the case with his stunning 135 not out MANCHESTER: England’s Ben Stokes plays a shot as West Indies’ Shane Dowrich (R) keeps wicket during their cashflow has also been hit by the coron- during a remarkable one-wicket win in the third play on the second day of the second Test cricket match between England and the West Indies at Old avirus pandemic. Ashes Test against Australia at Headingley last year, Trafford in Manchester, north-west England on July 17, 2020. — AFP Arsenal may even find themselves without Stokes had the discipline to play himself in against Europa League revenue as they sit ninth in the accurate bowling before picking the right moment table with two games remaining after to up the tempo. awareness, the latest Stokes has displayed since Stokes, who shared a fourth-wicket stand of 260 Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against He found a fine ally on Friday in Dom Sibley, the being acquitted of an affray charge in 2018 after an with Sibley that rescued England from a top-order Manchester City at Wembley. opener’s 120 his first Test century in England. But incident outside a nightclub that saw him miss an collapse. “The main number for me is how many Speaking in April, director Josh Kroenke with Sibley batting sedately — his hundred took the Ashes tour and threatened to end his England wins,” he said. said the club are currently operating a best part of eight hours — there was a danger of career completely. “I was more buzzing that I faced 300 balls than I “Champions League wage bill on a Europa England getting bogged down in a match they need Stokes, who last week deputised as captain for was when I got to my hundred, that’s something I League budget”. to win to level the three-Test series at 1-1. Joe Root after England’s regular skipper missed a never thought I’d be capable of doing.” The 29-year- Yet, with head of football Raul Sanllehi and Stokes, however, ensured that did not happen. four-wicket loss to the West Indies following the old Stokes, now in his 65th Test, added: “Being an technical director Edu overseeing recruitment Having gone to a hundred in, by his standards, a birth of his second child, was once more proving instinctive player is great but there’s time in the past at Arsenal, Arteta is adamant he still has a restrained 255 balls, Stokes needed a mere 46 more himself to be a leader even if he was now back where I’ve let how I’m playing at the time affect me, good relationship with the club’s powerbro- for the third fifty of his innings as he punished a among the ranks. thinking I can play some big shots and I’d be alright. kers. “I have full faith. I have a really good new ball being deployed by a tiring West Indies “I feel at an age and an experience level where I real- relationship with Raul, with Edu, with Vinai pace attack. ‘UNDERSTAND MY GAME’ ly understand my game pretty much all the time and I (Venkatesham, managing director) and direct It was a sublime mixture of both skill and match “Numbers, figures...I don’t really care,” said try not to get carried away.” — AFP contact with the owners,” Arteta told reporters on Friday. “We know what we want to do.