Luis Suarez said he was grateful to Atletico Madrid for “trusting in me” as his winning goal helped them edge city rivals Real Madrid to the La Liga title in dramatic fashion.
Diego Simeone’s men trailed to Oscar Plano’s strike for Real Valladolid but they turned the match around in the second half through an Angel Correa goal and Suarez’s coolly taken effort.
Although Real scored twice late on to beat Villarreal 2-1, they came up short as they needed Atletico to drop points.
Uruguay striker Suarez started the season being told by Barca boss Ronald Koeman he was not in his plans for this season but went on to score 21 league goals – including the decisive one.
Can Atletico shift La Liga balance of power away from Real & Barca?Relive the action from the final day in La LigaA tearful Suarez said afterwards: “I am delighted the way Atletico have appreciated me and given me the chance to keep showing I can perform on this stage. I thank them for trusting in me. A lot of people have suffered with me, my wife, my children.
“I have been playing football for many years and this is the year my family and I have suffered the most. It is an amazing feeling to have performed on the final day of the season.”
Atletico clinched their first title in seven years – and 11th overall – by finishing two points ahead of defending champions Real, who end the season without a trophy.
Barcelona – playing without skipper Lionel Messi, who was resting before the summer’s Copa America – won 1-0 at Eibar through Antoine Griezmann’s acrobatic strike and clinched third place ahead of Sevilla.
Julen Lopetegui’s side play their final league game on Sunday against Alaves but will finish fourth even with a victory because of an inferior head-to-head record against Barca.
Atletico Madrid claimed their 11th La Liga title’Atletico is a huge club’Luis Suarez ran clear to score his 21st La Liga goal of the season for Atletico MadridThe title race was set up for a thrilling conclusion and it did not disappoint.
Injured Real skipper Sergio Ramos celebrated in the stands as news filtered through of Atletico falling behind, but the Spain defender was subdued just two minutes later when Yeremi Pino flicked in a goal for Europa League finalists Villarreal against the defending champions.
With both Madrid sides behind at the break, Simeone and Zidane needed to give inspiring team talks.
In the second half, Karim Benzema thought he had equalised for Real when he powered in a header but while VAR checked the goal – and ruled it out – Atletico levelled through Correa’s smart finish to put them on the verge of glory.
Benzema, who has earned a recall to the France squad for the summer’s European Championship, dragged wide from a promising position and seconds later Suarez ran clear and converted calmly to put Atletico 2-1 up.
Simeone said: “The world is going through a different phase right now so if we can give some joy to people it means so much to us. Thirty-two players I think have been involved, every one as important as the other. I am extremely grateful.”
Suarez added: “My work is to help the team and pay them back by scoring goals. Sometimes it is necessary to push even harder but Atletico is a huge club and we have shown it this season – we have been the most regular performer and that is why we are the champions now.”
Although Benzema curled in an equaliser on 87 minutes and Modric scored an injury-time winner for Real, it was not enough as Atletico players celebrated on the pitch with some travelling fans gathered outside the stadium in Valladolid.
Reportsexternal-link last week said Zidane has told the Real players he will leave at the end of the season but the Frenchman said he will discuss his future with the club.
“Right now, we need to be relaxed and then when things have calmed down in the next few days I’ll talk to the club, and that’s that, but today’s not the day,” said Zidane.
“Soon we’ll see what happens, not only with me but with everything the club is planning for next season. You (the media) have said it already – we didn’t win anything this year and we know what we have to do at this club.”
Atletico Madrid fans celebrated their side’s title triumph outside the Jose Zorrilla stadium in ValladolidNo stopping Suarez – the statsAtletico are champions of Spain for the 11th time. Only Real Madrid (34) and Barcelona (26) have claimed more La Liga titles.Diego Simeone joins fellow Argentine Helenio Herrera (4) and Uruguayan Enrique Fernandez (3) as the non-European managers to win La Liga on multiple occasions.Luis Suarez has reached 20+ La Liga goals for the fifth time in his seven La Liga campaigns (16 in both 2014-15 and 2019-20).Suarez joins David Villa and Arda Turan in winning the La Liga title at both Atletico and Barcelona.Line-upsReal ValladolidFormation 4-4-2
1Masip
18Janko4Olivas Alba15El Yamiq25Olaza
10Plano17Mesa20San Emeterio Díaz19Villa Suárez
9Weissman16de Sousa Mendonça
1Masip18JankoSubstituted forHervíasat 82’minutes4Olivas Alba15El YamiqBooked at 70mins25Olaza10Plano17MesaSubstituted forHerrero Javaloyasat 62’minutesBooked at 74mins20San Emeterio DíazBooked at 78minsSubstituted forPérezat 82’minutes19Villa SuárezSubstituted forNeves Filipeat 62’minutes9Weissman16de Sousa MendonçaBooked at 55minsSubstituted forGuardiola Navarroat 62’minutesSubstitutes2Pérez5Sánchez de Felipe7Guardiola Navarro8Pérez11Hervías21Herrero Javaloyas22Martínez García23Rubio24Fernández26Pérez40Neves FilipeAtl MadridFormation 4-3-3
13Oblak
23Trippier18Felipe2Giménez22Hermoso
14Llorente6Koke8Saúl
10Correa9Suárez21Carrasco
13Oblak23Trippier18FelipeBooked at 83mins2Giménez22HermosoBooked at 68minsSubstituted forLodi dos Santosat 63’minutesBooked at 87mins14LlorenteSubstituted forKondogbiaat 79’minutes6Koke8SaúlBooked at 68minsSubstituted forSequeiraat 63’minutesBooked at 78mins10CorreaSubstituted forHerreraat 85’minutes9Suárez21CarrascoSubstitutes1Grbic4Kondogbia5Torreira7Sequeira12Lodi dos Santos16Herrera19Dembele20Machín Pérez24VrsaljkoReferee:José María Sánchez Martínez
Live TextMatch ends, Real Valladolid 1, Atletico Madrid 2.
Second Half ends, Real Valladolid 1, Atletico Madrid 2.
Foul by Geoffrey Kondogbia (Atletico Madrid).
Pablo Hervías (Real Valladolid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Luis Suárez (Atletico Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Jawad El Yamiq (Real Valladolid).
Attempt missed. Sergi Guardiola (Real Valladolid) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Shon Weissman.
Attempt missed. Geoffrey Kondogbia (Atletico Madrid) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is close, but misses to the left.
Renan Lodi (Atletico Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Renan Lodi (Atletico Madrid).
Sergi Guardiola (Real Valladolid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Atletico Madrid. Héctor Herrera replaces Ángel Correa.
Attempt missed. Jawad El Yamiq (Real Valladolid) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Pablo Hervías with a cross following a corner.
Felipe (Atletico Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Corner, Real Valladolid. Conceded by Renan Lodi.
João Félix (Atletico Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Kiko Olivas (Real Valladolid).
Substitution, Real Valladolid. Pablo Hervías replaces Saidy Janko.
Substitution, Real Valladolid. Kike Pérez replaces Fede San Emeterio.
Substitution, Atletico Madrid. Geoffrey Kondogbia replaces Marcos Llorente.
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