Real celebrate 28th title in style

Kevin Fylan

Real Madrid celebrated their first Spanish league title for four years with champagne, smiles and even a spot of bullfighting on Saturday.

The players, determined to enjoy the club's first championship for four years, made the short trip from the Bernabeu to the city's Cibeles fountain to crown the moment in front of an estimated 200,000 delirious fans.

A 5-0 win at home to Alaves gave Vicente del Bosque's side a decisive nine-point lead at the top of the table and a record 28th championship trophy.

As the 75,000 full house at the Bernabeu roared with approval, the players took with them a giant mock-up of the league title on several laps of honour.

Goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who had to be content with a place on the bench on Saturday, livened up the celebrations still further by driving the players on the stretcher cart up and down the field.

And Raul, who took his tally for the season to 22 with two goals on Saturday, struck the pose of the "torero" as he paraded with a bullfighter's cape in the centre of the pitch.

Thousands more supporters cheered the arrival of the team by open top bus at the Cibeles fountain, the traditional setting for Real Madrid celebratiobns.

POLICE PRESENCE
The players danced and sang a chorus of "We are the champions" while the crowd cheered before a massive police presence, in attendance in an attempt to prevent the sort of violent scenes that marked the club's two recent European Cup wins in 1998 and 2000.

Spanish radio reported that their had been no such incidents on Saturday night.

"We wanted to win the league like this, in front of our own fans," said Raul, one of the survivors from the last title-winning team four years ago.

"We've done it in the best way possible."

For England midfielder Steve McManaman, a first championship win of his career was a moment to savour.

"It's my first league title anywhere," McManaman said. "I never managed to win it with Liverpool and now in two years I've won the European Cup and the league.

"This country has been fantastic to me and I hope to win even more next year."

Real coach del Bosque said he was happy to let his players take centre stage.

"They're the ones who've played their hearts out," he said.

"We've had some difficult moments this season but the players have coped tremendously and we've been solid throughout.

"With their strength and quality, the players have managed to add a page to the glorious history of this club.

"We were champions of Europe last season and now we're champions of Spain. I hope it continues for a long time.

"As I've said before, though, I've just been lucky to be the coach at a time when I've got great players with me."