Barcelona cruised to a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid at home in the 35th round of La Liga, clinching their second consecutive league title and the 29th in the club’s history. For the first time ever, the championship was decided by the result of an El Clásico.
The buildup to the match was overshadowed by turmoil within the Real Madrid camp. Internal conflicts had been simmering throughout the season, but tensions boiled over when midfielders Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde engaged in a physical altercation in the dressing room. The fight left Valverde hospitalized with a head injury, and both players were fined €500,000 by the club.
Reports from Spanish media indicated that the squad had fractured into factions, with several players refusing to communicate with each other or follow the head coach’s instructions. The departure of Xabi Alonso in January was also linked to players’ disrespectful behavior. Under new manager Álvaro Arbeloa, the situation failed to improve, and the internal strife took a toll on results. With four games left, Real Madrid trailed league leaders Barcelona by 11 points, meaning a draw would have been enough for the Catalans to seal the title.
In addition to Valverde, who was sidelined by his own teammate, the coaching staff was without seven other players for Sunday’s El Clásico. The most notable absence was Kylian Mbappé, the season’s top scorer, who has faced growing criticism from fans for his perceived selfishness on the pitch.