See you in June: Modric

Real Madrid players celebrate their La Liga win in an open top bus in Madrid yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

If anything defines Real Madrid it is a relentless hunger for silverware and that remained clear even as they celebrated their 36th La Liga title triumph on Sunday.
Los Blancos players partied with fans at their traditional location outside the city's Cibeles palace but the upcoming Champions League final remained in focus.

Modric thanks fans

The record 14-time European champions face Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on June 1 and various players said they hoped they could return to celebrate again after the final. "Thank you for being here to celebrate this day...I hope we see each other again in June," said veteran midfielder Luka Modric, a five-time Champions League winner with Real.

Carlo Ancelotti

Madrid sealed their triumph last weekend with four games to spare, taking the title back from rivals Barcelona, but delayed the celebration to concentrate on beating Bayern Munich in midweek to reach the Champions League final.

Dominant Madrid have lost just one match this season in La Liga, against rivals Atletico Madrid last September, and at present have scored more goals and conceded fewer than any other side in the division.

They won both Clasicos against Barcelona and twice defeated their closest challengers for much of the season, Catalan upstarts Girona. Coach Carlo Ancelotti was a central figure in the celebrations, once again toting a cigar and wearing sunglasses as he did at Madrid's last parade in 2022.

‘Today is the day to enjoy'

The day began early with RFEF president Pedro Rocha delivering the league trophy to Madrid's Valdebebas training ground at 7.30 GMT, with captain Nacho Fernandez lifting it, for the first but certainly not the last occasion on the day. "Today is the day to enjoy it, when it's something so deserved, something so big as winning the league, it's the day to go to Cibeles," said Nacho. There were other stops on the way for Madrid's jubilant players, first heading to the Madrid regional government's headquarters, presenting the trophy to president Isabel Diaz Ayuso.

"This team has overcome a lot of adversity, with a lot of injuries," said Madrid chief Florentino Perez, referring to Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao and David Alaba's long-term absences in particular. "This squad rebelled against the situation, this club badge achieves everything that seems impossible - the attitude [you need] in the face of life. "I want to thank all of the players that now form part of the history of the club - they have won it all and are still hungry."

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