Barcelona’s LaLiga title was well deserved as Hansi Flick’s side played the game with consistency and beauty, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said ahead of Sunday’s LaLiga trip to 14th placed Sevilla.
With Barcelona beating Real to the LaLiga title, Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup, Real, having been knocked out of the Champions League, only have the Club World Cup left to fight for in terms of silverware this year.
“This is part of football, sometimes you’re not able to get the best out of everyone. Barcelona have done very well, because they’ve been more consistent in the league and played very beautiful football,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“I congratulate them. They deserved to win this league. Next year will be a different story.”
Real were beaten by Barcelona in all four encounters across all competitions in a season where Barca scored an astonishing 97 goals in 36 league matches, 23 more than Real.
Ancelotti, who is set to leave at the end of the season to coach five-times world champions Brazil, lamented the number of injuries his side had suffered.
“This team has been able to believe even when no one believed (in us). I will never criticise these players who have been able to give me so much joy over the years,” the Italian said.
“There have been too many injuries and very important players… throughout this season, these kinds of injuries have hurt us.”
The coach noted that his last season, after six mostly successful years at the Santiago Bernabeu across two stints, would have been even better if Real had been in the LaLiga title race until the final day.
“The Sevilla ground (Pizjuan) has always been difficult for us, our goal is to try to finish the season on a high note,” he said.
“I wanted to enjoy it in a different way, fighting until the last day for the league. Which hasn’t been (the case), but I’m (still) enjoying it. And then, (I have) to prepare for another challenge.”
