Real Madrid clinches La Liga title: Los Blancos eliminate Barcelona from race with 10th straight win

It's Real's first La Liga title since the 2016-17 season

For the 34th time overall and the first time in three seasons, Real Madrid is the king of Spain. Los Blancos won La Liga on Thursday by beating Villarreal 2-1 and mathematically eliminating second-place Barcelona. Real has won 10 straight games since the return of soccer in Spain in June, going on an unbelievable run that Barca simply could not match. Barcelona lost on Thursday to Osasuna, putting Real seven points ahead of its rival and prompting Lionel Messi to call out his team.

Real got the winning goal from Karim Benzema in the first half, and he added a second goal on a 77th-minute penalty kick. But the story all along, as on Thursday, had been the defense. A late Villarreal goal ruined Los Blancos' clean sheet, but they had six in 10 games since the league came back from its COVID-19 shutdown last month. With Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane leading the way, Los Blancos cruised to the title in such convincing fashion that overcoming the deficit in the Champions League next month against Manchester City now doesn't seem like an impossible mission.

Barca failed to look convincing time after time when it mattered most, while Real Madrid looked as dominant as the days of Cristiano Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabeu in a brilliant stretch.

The title win is massive for Real because Barca was the clear favorite to win the league with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez being joined by Antoine Griezmann in attack. But following the dismissal of coach Ernesto Valverde in January, it just never clicked for Barca, and Real took advantage -- and the trophy.

Here's a look behind the numbers for Real's 34th title

Unstoppable and efficient

• Out of the 30 points up for grabs since play returned, Real Madrid took all 30. By comparison, Barcelona took just 21.

Defense key

• In the 10 games since play returned, Barca allowed on average 0.7 goals per game. Real allowed 0.4 goals per game.

Clutch in a crunch

• In games decided by a goal or less, Real was 6-0-0 while Barca was 3-3-1.

The impressive run

• This title really was decided was in June. In a four-game stretch against Sevilla, Athletic Bilbao, Celta Vigo and Atletico Madrid, Barca was undefeated but also won just one game. That means just six out of 12 points.

Real Madrid 2, Villarreal 1 (Final)

⚽Real Madrid: Benzema - 29'
⚽Real Madrid: Benzema - 77'
⚽Villarreal: Iborra - 83'