After getting a 2-2 draw at Allianz Arena in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich, Real Madrid returned to action in La Liga in their match against Cadiz, an affair that ended in a victory for the Merengues.
Los Blancos got the full three points with goals from Brahim Diaz, Jude Bellingham, and Joselu Mato, and these three points proved to be crucial as Real Madrid have been crowned as Champions of Spain after Barcelona lost their match against Girona later in the night.
As was expected, Carlo Ancelotti put in a fully changed lineup for this match than he had done for the match against Bayern Munich, with Nacho Fernandez being the only player to play both these matches.
Real Madrid fans got to see Thibaut Courtois back in action after the Belgian had missed almost the entirety of this season with two serious injuries. Eder Militao also got on the pitch to gain some competitive minutes and full fitness.
Dani Carvajal returned to action after being suspended for the UCL tie, while Fran Garcia got the start over Mendy for this match.
In the midfield, Eduardo Camavinga got a start as Tchouameni was rested, with Luka Modric and Dani Ceballos being his colleagues. Arda Guler also got a start. The two-man forward line was made up of Brahim Diaz and Joselu Mato.
The Merengues started the game on a positive note, as Eder Militao nearly got his name on the scoresheet with a screaming shot from a distance, which was saved by the Cadiz goalkeeper.
Dani Ceballos also had a chance, that he missed, in the first half, but the first 45 minutes were not too lively, even though Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz entertained with some dribbling sequences.
Real Madrid started the second half with their foot on the accelerator, and Brahim Diaz scored a good goal after getting a pass from Luka Modric and beating a couple of Cadiz defenders.
However, Cadiz could have scored a goal of their own as an Eder Militao mistake put the visitors clear on goal, and only an advancing Thibaut Courtois save kept the ball out.
Ancelotti made the first change in the 66th minute, as he replaced Arda Guler with Jude Bellingham. The Englishman needed only two minutes to get on the scoresheet, as Modric, Brahim, and Bellingham combined to score a good goal and firmly establish Real Madrid’s grip on this game.
Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde were also introduced into the match in the ensuing minutes, and the former was involved as Nacho broke forward and provided a ball across the face of goal to Joselu, who scored the last goal of the game in the 93rd minute.
Thus, Real Madrid got a memorable win that allowed them to become the Champions of Spain for the 36th time. In addition to the three points, this match also showed that the Real Madrid bench is competitive enough to win a game even when the main starters are rested.
Players like Modric, Guler, Brahim, Camavinga, Fran Garcia, and Joselu all impressed, but Dani Ceballos could have taken a greater advantage of this opportunity to convince Ancelotti for more minutes going forward.
With the La Liga title now wrapped up, Real Madrid will now be going into the second leg against Bayern Munich with their spirits high and a fully rested squad. Hopefully, the Merengues can get a win in that match too, and end the season with another two trophies in their cabinet.
