Real Madrid wins its record-extending 36th Spanish league title after Barcelona loses at Girona

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Real Madrid has won its record-extending 36th Spanish league title after securing an insurmountable 13-point lead over second-place Girona with four games remaining.

Madrid reclaimed its domestic crown after beating Cadiz 3-0 earlier Saturday, and Barcelona then lost 4-2 at Girona. Only a victory by Barcelona would have stopped Madrid from celebrating.

Madrid also has a chance to add to its unequaled 14 European Cups. Madrid hosts Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday with their semifinal evenly balanced after a 2-2 first-leg draw in Germany. Either Paris Saint-Germain or Borussia Dortmund will await the winner in the June 1 final.

“We have to put our joy on ice because we have a very important game ahead of us on Wednesday,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said before Barcelona had lost. “We have played a spectacular Spanish league season. We have been very consistent and rarely slipped up. The advantage we have is deserved.

“We have to recover, rest and play our best against Bayern.”

Madrid appeared to be set to against play chaser to reigning champion Barcelona this season after Karim Benzema left in the summer and Courtois and defenders David Alaba and Eder Militao sustained serious leg injuries.

But Jude Bellingham blossomed into a scorer on arrival from Borussia Dortmund. His goals, and leadership in midfielder, combined with the dribbling, speed and goals of Vinícius Júnior put Madrid well ahead of the rest of the league.

Madrid appeared set to again play chaser to defending champion Barcelona this season after Karim Benzema left in the summer and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and defenders David Alaba and Eder Militao sustained serious leg injuries.

But Jude Bellingham blossomed into a scorer on arrival from Borussia Dortmund. His goals, and leadership in midfield, combined with the dribbling, speed and goals of Vinícius Júnior. put Madrid well ahead of the rest of the league.

Madrid has only lost once in 34 rounds so far and beat Barcelona in both league “clasico” matches, as well as dealing Girona a pair of lopsided losses in their two meetings.

BACKUPS SHINE

Ancelotti overhauled his lineup ahead of the decider against Bayern. Center back Nacho Fernández was the only starter from the first leg against Bayern to begin against Cadiz.

Brahim Díaz broke through Cadiz’s defense in the 51st minute at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday when the forward rifled a shot from the edge of the box into the top corner.

Season standout Bellingham tapped in a second goal in the 68th, moments after going on as a substitute to put the result beyond doubt with his 18th league goal of the campaign. Joselu Mato added a third in injury time.

GIRONA IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Girona leapfrogged Barcelona and pushed its Catalan rival into third place at 14 points behind Madrid.

Barcelona coach Xavi’s team suffered the double blow of watching Madrid claim the title because of its loss while also letting Girona move ahead into second with its second big win in the Catalan derby this season.

Girona locked up a top-four finish and Champions League berth after opening a 13-point gap over Athletic Bilbao in fifth.

Girona is now on track to create an issue for UEFA which has rules designed to protect the Champions League from having two or more clubs in the same ownership group. Girona and Manchester City are both part of City Football Group backed by the Abu Dhabi royal family.

Girona can now deprive Barcelona of a lucrative spot in the Spanish Super Cup if it holds onto second place.

“We had the game under control and then gave it away, and that is a summary of our season,” Xavi said. “The same thing happened in the two games against Madrid and in the other game against Girona, and it is very tough to compete like that. We have to change many things if we want to compete next season.”

Substitute Cristian “Portu” Portugués flipped the game around for Girona. Trailing 2-1 when Portu went on in the 65th, he scored on his first touch. He then set up Miguel Gutiérrez two minutes later before he curled in a second goal to complete a brace in the 74th.

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal had set up Andreas Christensen in the third minute, only for Artem Dovbyk to head in his league-leading 20th goal seconds later for Girona. Yamal then earned a penalty that Robert Lewandowski converted just before halftime.

COURTOIS RETURNS

Courtois was back in goal for his first appearance of the season since suffering two leg injuries. The 31-year-old Belgian tore the ACL in his left knee in August, two days before Madrid’s first game of the season. He then ruptured the meniscus in his right knee in March when he was preparing to come back.

Courtois had little work except for moments before Díaz’s opener when he snuffed out a breakaway by Cadiz striker Chris Ramos.

Ancelotti said Friday that Andriy Lunin, the backup who has excelled in Courtois’ place, will be back in goal for the second leg against Bayern.

Cadiz is struggling to escape the relegation zone and spent most of the match in its area scrambling to clear the ball. The team from southern Spain remained five points from safety.

Also, Real Sociedad beat Las Palmas 2-0 to strengthen its hold on sixth place and a Europa League spot.

AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar in Geneva, Switzerland, contributed to this report.

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Real Madrid supporters celebrate in Cibeles Square in Madrid after their team clinched the La Liga title, Saturday, May 4, 2024. Real, who had won earlier in the day, clinched the title after Barcelona failed to beat Girona. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Cadiz at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid supporters start to arrive in Cibeles Square in Madrid to celebrate after their team clinched the La Liga title, Saturday, May 4, 2024. Real, who had won earlier in the day, clinched the title after Barcelona failed to beat Girona. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Girona's Miguel Gutierrez celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Girona and Barcelona, at the Montilivi stadium in Girona, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Jules Kounde reacts during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Girona and Barcelona, at the Montilivi stadium in Girona, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Real Madrid's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois warms up ahead the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Cadiz at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's supporters cheer their team during the the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Cadiz at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, second left, scores his side's second goal during the the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Cadiz at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saves a ball during the the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Cadiz at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz, right, celebrates with his teammate Real Madrid's Luka Modric after scoring his side's opening goal during the the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Cadiz at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, left, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Cadiz at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Cadiz at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Cadiz at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

French security forces reported another death Saturday in armed clashes in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, the sixth fatality in a nearly a week of violent unrest wracking the archipelago whose indigenous population has long sought independence.

The person was killed in an exchange of fire at one of the many impromptu barricades blocking roads on the island, said a security official speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the situation publicly. Two other people were seriously injured in the clash, the official said, confirming French media reports. The official said the firefight erupted at a blockade in the north of the main island, at Kaala-Gomen.

Le Monde and other French news outlets said the person killed was a man and that his son was among the injured.

Two police officers were among those who died earlier this week in the unrest that has prompted the government in Paris to impose a state of emergency on the archipelago and rush in reinforcements for security services battling armed clashes, looting, arson and other mayhem.

The unrest erupted Monday following protests over voting reforms opposed by pro-independence supporters who have long pushed to break free from France.

The French territory of New Caledonia has been rocked by deadly unrest, leading to a state of emergency imposed by Paris. (AP Graphic)

This photo provided Friday May 17, 2024 by the French Army shows security force embarking a plane to New Caledonia, Thursday, May 16, 2024 at the Istres military base, southern France. The number of violent incidents reported in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia fell slightly on Friday, a day after France imposed a state of emergency as 1,000 promised reinforcements for security services were deployed with increased powers to quell unrest in the archipelago that has long sought independence. (Etat Major des Armees via AP)

Smoke rises during protests in Noumea, New Caledonia, Wednesday May 15, 2024. France has imposed a state of emergency in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia. The measures imposed on Wednesday for at least 12 days boost security forces' powers to quell deadly unrest that has left four people dead, erupting after protests over voting reforms. (AP Photo/Nicolas Job)