Real Madrid’s fans gathered at the fountain of Cibeles, celebrating before their team had even finished playing at Rosaleda. Those who were in Málaga celebrated too, singing their way through the final minutes as the team eased through them, success long-since secured. There was to be no drama on the final day and no late twist, just a first league title in five years. An early goal from Cristiano Ronaldo set Madrid on their way as they eased towards a 2-0 victory that might yet be the first step towards a domestic and European double that has eluded them for 59 years.

Madrid had gone into the final day knowing that a single point would be sufficient; the surprise was that for much of the night it appeared even a defeat would have been enough, with news coming through that Barcelona were trailing at the Camp Nou. The Catalans eventually came back from 2-0 down to win 4-2 but theirs was an empty victory. Madrid’s was a comfortable one, no space for a surprise. It was over almost as soon as it had begun – if there had ever really been a chance.

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A loose ball fell to Isco. He received, looked up and slotted it through the gap for Ronaldo, setting off from the centre-forward position, his territory now. Running clean through, his finish had more than a hint of that other Ronaldo – the great Brazilian – about it: a touch to control, another to take him beyond Carlos Kameni before he rolled it into the net. Once he had begun to move, there was never any doubt. The clock said 1min 37sec – or it would have if the league had not taken the absurd decision to prohibit stadium scoreboards from telling the time.

It was early, anyway, everyone knew. Soon they also knew that Barcelona were trailing 1-0 at the Camp Nou. Amid all the talk about Málaga getting a surprise result, no one seemed to have contemplated the possibility that it would be Eibar who did so. If Takashi Inui’s goal 600 miles or so north-east of here made little practical difference – Madrid’s fate was always in their own hands – it did make their position more comfortable still. If it stayed like that in Barcelona, never mind a solitary point, they could lose and still take the title. Instead, they led.

Play Video 1:05 Hundreds greet Real Madrid on return after league title win – video

That it was Ronaldo and Isco who combined for the goal was appropriate; they are the men who have led Madrid towards the finish in recent weeks, when the late goals that defined much of the first half of the season have often given way to early ones, drama reduced to a minimum. Isco has given them a control and subtlety previously lacking. Ronaldo, rested and rotated, has been decisive. This is the eighth season in which he has reached 25 league goals, but it is when he has scored that really matters, not how many. This was his 14th goal in eight matches.

Much had been said about Málaga’s application – all the more so because their manager, Míchel González, is a former Madrid legend. But made a match of this. For much of the half they rolled forward and beyond the visitors. Sandro Ramírez, the former Barcelona player, was a man on a mission. He drew two saves from Keylor Navas. The second was sensational, Navas crashing into the post as he reached a wonderful free-kick. Another Sandro shot flashed wide and two Keko headers missed the target, Málaga were on top. Madrid, though, were top and never seemed set to relinquish that position.

At half-time Barcelona were at least four goals away from winning the title – and they had to be the right four. But the next to arrive was Madrid’s. Sergio Ramos reached a Luka Modric corner, his shot coming back off Kameni, via Raphael Varane’s chest, to Benzema who scored from close range. If that was the “wrong” goal, a roar from the Madrid fans at the Rosaleda welcomed another. Incredibly Eibar’s Inui had scored again. Even when Barcelona did score, it was not their doing but an own-goal. Leo Messi’s penalty was saved by Yoel at the Camp Nou, it summed up their day and maybe even their season, and although they did eventually get the second, and then a third, Madrid were there now and they knew it. They had been from the start.