La Liga Daily Report - 2026-05-24

Barcelona ended the 2025-26 La Liga season as champions on May 24, with Real Madrid finishing second after a campaign that swung decisively in Hansi Flick's favour. Several round-up pieces across the wire highlighted Barcelona's recovery from a slow start and credited Flick's rotation of a thin squad, with Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Raphinha, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia and Joan Garcia all singled out for standout seasons.

The title seals Barcelona's domestic supremacy and frames the season as a successful transition year, especially after the loss of defender Inigo Martinez to Saudi Arabia was cited as an early setback. Real Madrid's runner-up finish still underlines a strong campaign, but the league's final table left Barcelona clearly on top and set the tone for the summer review of Spain's elite.

Girona were relegated after a tense 1-1 home draw with Elche, a result that condemned them to the second tier two years after they had finished third and reached the Champions League. Mallorca also went down despite beating Real Oviedo 3-0, finishing on 42 points alongside Osasuna and Levante but losing out on the final-day arithmetic.

The collapse completes a brutal ending for two clubs that were still fighting for survival on the last day. Girona's fate was especially striking because they needed victory to stay up, while Mallorca's win was not enough to save them, leaving Real Oviedo as the other confirmed relegated side in the final standings.

Kylian Mbappe finished the La Liga season with 25 goals and claimed the Pichichi Trophy for the second straight year, becoming the first player since Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to do so in back-to-back seasons. The Real Madrid forward edged Mallorca's Vedat Muriqi by two goals, with both players scoring on the final matchday but Mbappe already holding a decisive cushion.

The feat reinforces Mbappe's immediate impact in Spain and gives Real Madrid a marquee individual success even as they finished second in the table. He has now reached 86 goals in 103 appearances in a white shirt, underlining how quickly he has become central to Madrid's attack.

Adrián San Miguel ended his career with Real Betis after the club's final match against Levante, saving a key effort and helping secure the result that confirmed Betis' place in Europe. The 39-year-old former Liverpool goalkeeper leaves the game after a 345-match career that included 11 years in England and a Premier League title medal in 2019-20.

His farewell carries extra weight because he finished where he began, in Seville, and did so after helping Betis clinch the fifth and final Champions League spot. That combination of hometown ending, decisive save and European qualification made his retirement one of the emotional stories of the La Liga finale.

Real Madrid closed their campaign with a 4-2 win over Athletic Club at the Santiago Bernabeu, a result that provided a fitting finale despite Barcelona taking the title. The match also featured an outstanding contribution from Inaki Williams, who supplied both assists for Athletic, while the result was reported as Alvaro Arbeloa's final game as coach.

The scoreline mattered because it confirmed Madrid's strong finish and gave supporters one last look at key figures such as Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham in a high-scoring home send-off. For Athletic, the defeat was softened only by Williams' two assists, a rare bright spot in a difficult season.

Villarreal were among the La Liga clubs praised for sealing Champions League football, with one round-up noting their rapid counter-attacking style and how they booked their place almost a month before the end of the season. Another European round-up described Villarreal as putting on a show in La Liga on a dramatic day across the continent.

The achievement is significant because it places Villarreal among Spain's elite for next season and reflects a campaign built on speed, efficiency and consistency. The articles also highlighted Gerard Martin and Georges Mikautadze in Villarreal's attacking success, reinforcing how decisive their front line became when the pressure was highest.

Pep Guardiola's Manchester City reign ended after 593 matches, with his final game finishing in a 2-1 Premier League defeat to Aston Villa. Reports on May 24 said he had confirmed on Friday that he would step down after a decade in charge, a spell that delivered 20 trophies and reshaped English football.

Although this is not a La Liga result, Guardiola's departure is a major Spanish football story because it closes the chapter on one of the most influential Catalan coaches of the modern era. The emotional farewell also sparked speculation about his next move, with some reports linking him to MLS possibilities such as New York City FC.