Defending champions Barca kicked off knowing they needed a win to keep alive any faint hopes of retaining the title — or at least postpone the inevitability of Real Madrid taking the championship away from them for as long as possible.

Read about Real Madrid’s triumphant journey to their 36th La Liga title, led by Carlo Ancelotti and standout performer Jude Bellingham. .

And it's not just about his 18 league goals. The England midfielder's willingness to work tirelessly from box to box, and his ability to create chances for teammates, have endeared him to the Bernabeu faithful and the demanding Madrid media – illustrated by a recent article in Marca headlining his impact as “immediate and unique”.

Jude Bellingham came, saw and conquered Spain in his first season with Real Madrid, with the English midfielder becoming the key figure in the club's La Liga triumph.Bellingham became the first English player to score for Real Madrid since David Beckham in 2007 on his debut at Athletic Bilbao.

SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain (AP) — Real Madrid moved another step closer to a 36th Spanish league title after beating Real Sociedad 1-0 and extending its lead in the standings to 14 points on Friday. Carlo Ancelotti’s men need just five points from their last five games to ensure the title will return to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

An 11-point advantage means that Real Madrid is now the clear favorite to win La Liga for 2023/24, and they could seal the title in early May should results go their way.

It wasn't supposed to be this comfortable for Real Madrid to win the Spanish league after Karim Benzema left for Saudi Arabia and its defense was badly hit by injuries

Goals from Brahim Díaz, Jude Bellingham and Joselu earned Real Madrid a 3-0 win against Cádiz before Barça’s loss to Girona handed Carlo Ancelotti’s side the title