Madrid on cusp of winning LaLiga

BARCELONA: Jude Bellingham has helped put Real Madrid on the brink of winning the Spanish league after scoring in a 3-0 home win over Cadiz.

Second-place Barcelona now must win at third-place Girona to prevent Madrid from clinching the title later Saturday. It would be Madrid’s 36th domestic league crown.

Madrid is 14 points ahead of Barcelona with just four more games remaining after this round. A victory by Barcelona at Girona would most likely just delay the celebrations in Madrid. Girona can no longer win the league.

Brahim Diaz scored in the 51st minute at the Santiago Bernabeu when the forward rifled a shot from the edge of the box into the top corner.

Bellingham tapped in a second goal in the 68th, moments after going on as a substitute to put the result beyond doubt. His 18 goals are only second to the 19 scored by Girona’s Artem Dovbyk this season.

Joselu Mato added a third in injury time. Carlo Ancelotti overhauled his lineup ahead of next Wednesday’s game against Bayern Munich, when Madrid will host the second leg of their Champions League semi-final after a 2-2 draw in Germany. Centre back Nacho Fernandez was the only starter from the first leg against Bayern to start against Cadiz.