Barcelona beat Real Madrid to La Liga title after Luis Suarez hat-trick inspires Granada win

Barcelona completed the first half of a potential league and cup double after holding off Real Madrid to claim their 24<sup>th La Liga title following a comfortable 2-0 win over Granada at the Estadio Nuevo. Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick to win the Pichichi as the highest scorer in Spanish football with 40 goals as Luis Enrique's side retained their title, the Catalans' sixth in the last eight seasons.

Real had temporarily looked like putting pressure on Barca after Cristiano Ronaldo had given them an early lead against Deportivo La Coruna, finishing after Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema had combined to reach 50 goals for a sixth consecutive season. But that hope was quickly extinguished with two quick-fire goals from Suarez in the first half.

Neymar and Jordi Alba combined before Suarez tucked beyond Stipe Pletikosa prior to Dani Alves chasing down a lost cause down the opposite wing and crossing for the Uruguayan top scorer to head home. Ronaldo, meanwhile, netted a second in a 2-0 Real win, as his header deflected off Pedro Mosquera as Deportivo faded but his efforts were in vain.

Suarez reached the milestone of 40 with four minutes remaining following an error-free second period, as Lionel Messi fed Neymar, allowing the former Liverpool forward the honour of marking Barcelona's latest title success with a treble.

Despite their season threatening to collapse in April after four defeats in five games which saw their La Liga lead disappear and Champions League challenge end at the hands of Atletico Madrid, Barca can end the season with the double. The Catalan giants face Sevilla in the Copa del Rey final next Sunday [22 May] as they look to underline their domestic authority.

Zinedine Zidane's side now have two weeks to prepare for the Champions League final in Milan on 28 May against neighbours Atletico and following a polished display, which saw Ronaldo taken off at half time, they head into the final after 11 straight league wins.