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It was never really in doubt, but with a 4-0 win at home against Espanyol on Saturday, Real Madrid officially clinched the 2021-22 La Liga season title, the 35th in club history.

The day before the match, manager Carlo Ancelotti had expressed his desire to close it out: "We're on match point and when the best tennis players get there, they make sure they win it." With the win over Espanyol, Madrid served an ace to clinch the crown.

Now sitting 17 points above second-placed Sevilla and 18 above Barcelona, there are not enough points available for any of the pursuers to catch Los Blancos at this point..

The most decorated team in Spanish top-flight history, Real Madrid adds yet another trophy to its bulging case, and it is still alive in the semifinals of the Champions League and hoping for more.

MORE: Real Madrid beat Espanyol for 35th La Liga title

How Real Madrid won La Liga 2021-22

The league title push this season was obviously a team effort, but it starts and ends with Karim Benzema's sensational form.

The French talisman has spent much of his career at the Bernabeu in Cristiano Ronaldo's shadow, but this season he has finally broken out and pushed for his own stardom.

Benzema began the season with nine goals in his team's first eight La Liga matches, including a hat trick against Celta Vigo, and he has continued to lead the charge. He currently sits on 26 goals from 30 league matches so far this championship term.

Also transforming into a world-class player this season has been Vinicius Jr., who has become one of the first names on the Real Madrid team sheet. The Brazilian winger has become both a creative and goalscoring force and developed a critical partnership with Benzema up front.

Luka Modric has returned to his dominant midfield presence even at 36 years old, at a time when it appeared for a while that he had fallen off the pace.

And while Real Madrid's defence hasn't been the most stout in Europe, Eder Militao has emerged as a standout choice at centre-back.

MORE: Man City vs. Real Madrid became a Champions League instant classic

Last time Real Madrid won the La Liga title

Madrid failed to clinch the league crown last season as Atletico Madrid triumphed by two points, but two seasons ago in 2019-20, Real Madrid was also top of the table.

Toni Kroos had a world-class campaign and Karim Benzema finished second to Lionel Messi on the goalscoring charts to help Madrid to the crown. Sergio Ramos had a prolific campaign as well, leading Madrid to the best defensive record in the league and also scoring 11 times.

While the club also won the Supercopa de Espana in 2019-20, the rest of the season was a disappointment, eliminated in the Champions League Round of 16 by Borussia Dortmund and sent crashing out of the Copa del Rey in the quarterfinals by Real Sociedad.

Real Madrid La Liga title history

Real Madrid have now won 35 league titles in the club's illustrious history, with Barcelona the next closest on 26.

Los Blancos have been less successful recently, with the challenging top echelon in La Liga providing the traditional Spanish powerhouse with stiff competition.

This season's eventual crown will mark just their fourth league title in the last 14 years since winning the 2007-08 crown, with Barcelona, by contrast, winning eight in that same span.

Going back to 1995, when the Spanish top flight was expanded to 22 teams and introduced three points for a win, this will mark Real's ninth La Liga title in 27 years.

Should they finish with close to the margin at the top of the table they have established currently, it would mark the biggest title-winning gap in that span. The previous best margin of victory in Real's history is 12 points, which they have achieved twice, first in 1960-61 and again in 1974-75.

Real Madrid league titles since 1995

La Liga title winners all-time by club

Real Madrid play Real Sociedad in LaLiga on Saturday. You could call it the 'Real' derby. Except it isn't, of course: Real Sociedad are based 200 miles north of Spain's capital in the Basque Country, close to the French border. But nonetheless, it feels like a good time to ask: Why are there so many 'Real' clubs in Spanish football?

It isn't just 13-time European champions Real Madrid Club de Futbol -- who are often referred to in Spain simply as 'Madrid,' while city rivals Atletico Madrid are 'Atletico' -- and Real Sociedad de Futbol, who are informally known as 'La Real.' There are four more clubs with 'Real' (pronounced 'rey-al,' the Spanish word for 'royal') in their name in the Primera Division this season: Real Betis Balompie, Real Club Celta de Vigo, Real Club Deportivo Espanyol and Real Club Deportivo Mallorca.

In the Segunda Division, you'll find Real Valladolid, Real Oviedo, Real Zaragoza and Real Club Sporting de Gijon. Further down the pyramid, look out for historic names Real Club Deportivo La Coruna and Real Racing Club de Santander in the third tier, now known as the Primera RFEF. Where do all these 'Real' clubs come from? How did they earn their titles? And can any club be 'Real' if it wants to?

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'La Real' is a good place to start. Real Sociedad -- eighth in the all-time LaLiga rankings, twice league champions in the early 1980s and more recently 2020 Copa del Rey winners -- are based in the beautiful beach resort of San Sebastian, where they are also known as the 'Txuri-urdin' ('blue-and-white') in the Basque language. By pure coincidence, a sponsorship deal with an insurance firm means their Anoeta stadium is currently known as the Reale Arena.

"The club was officially founded on Sept. 7, 1909," Inaki Mendoza, Real Sociedad's official historian, told ESPN. "At that time it was just called 'Sociedad de Football' ('Football Society'). The directors asked King Alfonso XIII to confer the title of 'Real.'

"It was a question of prestige. I imagine they asked for it because the royal family used to spend their summers here in San Sebastian."

Alfonso XIII, who ruled Spain from his birth in 1886 until the country's Second Republic was declared in 1931 and he went into exile, was keen to connect the monarchy to football to capitalise on the sport's surging popularity.

"By February 1910, we'd been given the title 'Real,'" Mendoza said. "Real Madrid received theirs later, Espanyol too. We were one of the first. It happened quickly, in barely five months."

The first club to be granted the title 'Real' was Deportivo La Coruna in 1909. Real Sociedad received their own royal decree (pictured) a year later, with Espanyol joining them in 1912, Celta Vigo and Real Betis in 1914 and Real Madrid in 1920. With so many clubs being recognised by the crown, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) wasn't about to miss out.

"The RFEF was founded in 1913, and the king granted it the title of 'Real' that same year," the federation's Pablo Garcia Cuervo told ESPN. "By then, various clubs had already received the title. Clubs would make the monarch an honorary member, and by way of thanks, the Royal Household would name them 'Real.'

"It's the Crown that has the authority to bestow the title, not the federation. The RFEF recognises the concession and applies it in the statutes, making the name change official."

Spain's turbulent 20th century history saw the names of clubs change as the political landscape shifted.

"During the Second Republic, our name was changed to Donostia Football Club," Real Sociedad's Mendoza said. "That name lasted until after the Civil War [1936-39], when the traditional name was recovered. Our fans have embraced the fact that the club is known as 'La Real.' It isn't controversial. There's no political connotation, in my opinion."

There are 23 'Real' clubs in Spain's top five tiers -- not including reserve sides such as Real Madrid Castilla or Real Sociedad B, which also compete within the Spanish league system -- including the country's oldest: Real Club Recreativo de Huelva, which was founded in 1889 and played in the top flight as recently as 2008-09, but are now in the fifth tier.

Most clubs received their titles in the 1910s and '20s, but there's nothing to stop a club from contacting the Royal Household to request 'Real' status nowadays -- as Club Deportivo Gara, a team from the small town of Garachico on the island of Tenerife, proved in 2012.

"The club has been around for many years, it has a lot of history. It's famous on the island," club president Pedro Martinez told ESPN. "Some of the club's former players set up a committee for our centenary and that's where it started, to try to make the club 'Real.'"

The result: Gara became Spain's newest 'Real' team, joining a group that includes the country's oldest club and the most successful team in the history of European competition.

"It's a source of huge pride for us," Martinez said. "It was a long process with a lot of paperwork. We're a small club. We have three youth teams and a team competing in Regional [Tenerife's local, non-professional league] this year."

From Real Madrid to Real Club Deportivo Gara, there's royalty throughout Spanish football. Just make sure you get the names right.

As Mendoza puts it: "We aren't 'Sociedad.' We're 'Real Sociedad.' That's how it is. That's the name."

By Royal Decree: Spain's 'Real' clubs (top five leagues, 2021-22)

Primera Division (6) Real Betis Balompie, Real Club Celta de Vigo, Real Club Deportivo Espanyol, Real Club Deportivo Mallorca, Real Madrid, Real Sociedad de Futbol

Segunda Division (4) Real Club Sporting de Gijon, Real Oviedo, Real Valladolid, Real Zaragoza

Primera RFEF (4) Real Balompedica Linense, Real Club Deportivo La Coruna, Real Racing Club de Santander, Real Union

Segunda RFEF (2) Real Aviles, Real Murcia

Tercera RFEF (7) Real Avila, Real Club Deportivo Carabanchel, Real Club Recreativo de Huelva, Real Jaen, Real Sociedad Deportiva Alcalá, Real Sociedad Gimnástica de Torrelavega, Real Titanico

With La Liga sides breaking the bank almost every transfer window, what other measures are being done to ensure the nurture of domestic talents?

South American talents such as Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Marcelo have taken on legendary status in La Liga, following in the footsteps of iconic figures such as Alfredo di Stefano, Romario and Ronaldo by excelling in the competition. However, they can consider themselves somewhat fortunate to have played in Spain at all.

La Liga has strict rules about how many non-EU players are allowed to play for each team, which obviously affects the way a club handles their transfer business if they are looking to sign players who do not hail from Europe.

So what is the rule, why is it enforced and how do players and clubs manage to work around it? GOAL brings you everything you need to know.

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What is La Liga's non-EU players rule?

In La Liga, each club is allowed five non-EU players, but are only allowed to name three non-EU players in each matchday squad.

The term 'non-EU' refers to a player whose country of citizenship is outside of the European Union.

Countries currently in the EU include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

The figure drops to two non-EU players in Segunda Division (Second Division).

Can non-EU players claim other citizenship?

It is possible for non-EU players to take up citizenship of an EU country should they satisfy the citizenship criteria in those countries, whether that is through ancestry, residency or naturalisation.

For example, Real Madrid's Brazilian trio Vinicius Jr, Eder Militao and Rodrygo were each granted Spanish citizenship in 2022, meaning they were no longer required to be registered as non-EU players.

Those players' acquisition of Spanish nationality was positive news for Real, who were then free to pursue more non-EU transfer targets in the market, be they from the UK, South America or elsewhere outside of the EU.

Prior to that, another example is Brazil international Philippe Coutinho, whowas able to be granted Portuguese citizenship through his wife after he left Liverpool for Barcelona in in January 2018.

At the time, Barcelona had reached their cap of the number of foreign players in their squad. Three of their January transfer window signings in Arthur Melo, Malcom and Arturo Vidal counted as non-EU players.

However, since Coutinho had been married to Portuguese wife Aine for more than two years, he was able to meet the criteria to apply for Portuguese documentation. Doing so allowed him to play in the Spanish league as a Portuguese citizen rather than a Brazilian.

Suarez went a similar route when he himself joined Barcelona from Liverpool. The Uruguay forward applied for Italian citizenship through his wife Sofia Balbi in 2014.

Non-EU players can also, after five years of playing in Spain, claim Spanish citizenship, as was the case with Marcelo.

Additionally, players who hail from ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific Group) nations that are signatories to the Cotonou Agreement are not considered as non-EU due to the Kolpak ruling.

What is the punishment for signing more than three non-EU players?

Should clubs not comply with the rule, they could be punished with a fine or a transfer ban.

How have clubs worked around the rule?

Careful consideration when it comes to squad registration can help a club avoid punishment. Real Madrid had ostensibly exceeded the foreign player quota ahead of the 2019-20 season, with an initial five non-EU players included in their squad.

The aforementioned trio, Eder Militao, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo were registered as the three non-EU players, while Fede Valverde – who hails from Uruguay – claimed Spanish citizenship. Eighteen-year-old Takefusa Kubo, however, had to wait to have a place vacated, and was been entered into Real Madrid's reserve team Real Madrid Castilla.

The season before that, Vinicius Jr was registered in Castilla. This is allowed as according to Liga rules, U-23 players – or U-25 players with a professional contract – can switch between senior and reserve teams.

Why does La Liga have the non-EU players rule?

Much like the Premier League's Home Grown Player Rule, where eight players in a 25-man squad must be 'homegrown', the non-EU players rule encourages clubs to nurture domestic European talent instead of constantly relying on the purchase of overseas talents.

In the Premier League, however, the term 'Home Grown' simply means that a player must have been on the books of a club affiliated with the Football Association for at least three years before they turn 21. It does not mean that they have to be English.

To the editor: Recently, I visited Los Angeles and was appalled by the sheer number of homeless encampments. Being from a small town in the Midwest, I know about homelessness but have never seen it manifested to such a degree as in Los Angeles. (“Want to lower the number who are homeless? Prevent people from falling into homelessness,” editorial, March 23)

Yours has to be one of the richest cities in the United States, yet it appears that there is a huge separation between those who flash their wealth and those who are lucky to have a tent and a sleeping bag.

As an educator, I am all about helping people. Even while in Los Angeles, I talked to unhoused residents and gave out food, water and money. I wanted to know how these people ended up where they are; their life path was not planned this way.

Here’s my question for Los Angeles’ “elite” residents who own multiple homes and drive around in exotic cars: Why are you not investing in the people of the city that has made you wealthy? Sure, many of these people have substance abuse or mental health concerns, but everyone has demons. Why not give more of your conspicuous wealth to the shelters and service organizations that can help these people?

Share your wealth and help the people in your own city.

Denise Larson, Sparta, Wis.

..

To the editor: I commend The Times’ coverage of homelessness in Los Angeles, and I commend the many people and organizations that have addressed the needs of those who are forced to live unhoused.

These are essential efforts, but we must also address the ultimate cause of the burgeoning homelessness crisis: massive income inequality.

For several decades, America’s wealth has been drained from the lower classes. Our country has one of the highest rates of income inequality of any developed nation, and government actions are mainly to blame. Our tax system favors those who already have far more wealth than they could ever use in a single lifetime.

Until we address and correct the unconscionable income inequality that corrodes our economic system and tax structure, we will continue to see a burgeoning, permanently impoverished class of homeless Americans who are forced to exist (not live) on our nation’s streets.

Dennis Clausen, Escondido

..

To the editor: Until Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and members of the City Council make hard choices to lead rather than issue “grave concerns” and start changing zoning and building codes to promote larger multifamily apartment construction, lack of housing supply will keep rents unaffordable for the poor.

Recent reports state that L.A. County has a housing deficit of about 500,000 units. To fix this, government should promote middle-class apartment construction rather than single-family residences in fire-prone hillsides.

The lack of courage and foresight and the fear of NIMBYism in government will keep the homeless population high in Los Angeles.

Ken Baldwin, Los Angeles

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On June 15, California will ditch its county-by-county, tiered reopening system. Back in April, Governor Gavin Newsom said he thought this was when the state would be ready to "fully reopen." But what does that phrase actually mean?

Restaurants and bars will, for the most part, get to return to the way things were in the Before Times. Pandemic protocols requiring venues to space tables farther apart, limit venue capacity, require customers to wear masks and prevent people from different households from eating together will likely disappear.

What about proof of COVID-19 vaccination? Or mask-wearing for employees? Or other regulations? We don't know.

As of publication time, the L.A. County Department of Public Health still hasn't released guidelines for dining and drinking establishments. (This is nothing new. On May 29, 2020, L.A. County public health officials told restaurants they could reopen their dining rooms that day as long as they followed the county's new guidelines... but officials hadn't yet posted those guidelines when they made the announcement. It went super well.)

"We're sorry for the uncertainty," said Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer at a news conference late last week.

The upshot? While California's June 15 reopening is doomsday in reverse for the hospitality industry, it will be something of a soft opening for many Los Angeles County establishments.

How Are Restaurants And Bars Prepping For June 15?

"We're still putting a game plan together on how we're going to deal with that," says Terry Dulan, who owns and operates two Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen locations, one in Inglewood and another near Century and Western. (His brother Greg runs another location on Crenshaw and 48th.) "We may not do it exactly on June 15th, but we are definitely going to open up and follow whatever guidelines there are that are in place."

Although he has been allowed to offer indoor dining for almost a month, Dulan has chosen not to. "We just thought it was the prudent thing to wait until we kind of got a stranglehold on the virus before you open up. You just want to see the numbers go way down and make sure that everyone's as safe as possible — our customers, our staff."

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"The problem with this June 15th change is that there's still no guidance," says Dina Samson, co-owner of Rossoblu and Superfine Pizza, both in downtown L.A. "So I'm not sure how we're supposed to reopen when we don't even have that."

Samson has remotely attended informational calls and town hall meetings but, like other L.A. County restaurateurs, has yet to receive actual reopening guidelines.

She is waiting until Cal/OSHA's Standards Board meets on June 17 to consider adopting proposed revisions to its emergency temporary standards for workplaces. Assuming the board approves the revisions, they won't go into effect until June 28.

"So for us at Rossoblu, we probably will not make any big changes until the beginning of July, just to be safe and make sure that we have all the guidelines right," Samson says.

At Tirsa's Mexican Cafe in Chinatown, owner and chef Tirsa Farah says, "We're not making any plans, per se. We've been ready. We can't get any more readier."

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At full capacity, her restaurant seats only 25 people. So when indoor dining was, once again, allowed, even at a significantly reduced capacity, "we were hanging on for dear life, the last couple of months of the pandemic… We instantly saw a drastic change in our sales," Farah says.

Although the vast majority of her customers still preferred takeout or delivery, offering dine-in service had a major impact. She had decided, for a variety of reasons, not to invest in an al fresco dining setup for Tirsa's.

"Being in downtown with no dine-out option, it was getting a little bit hard to compete with all of these places opening up their patios. So when we were able to get at least two to three tables in our space, it made a huge difference, even though they weren't being used. It was just some kind of mind thing. People were like, 'Oh, they're open.' That instantly made it a little bit busier."

"I'm ecstatic," says Wrigley Tavern owner Tommy Mofid. Since his Long Beach bar reopened in April, he has only been able to offer dine-in service at 50% capacity. On June 15, that changes.

"I feel like June 15 is gonna allow us to go back to somewhat of a normal business plan. We are hoping to be able to serve more people and we're hoping that we have more employees," Mofid says.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, bars that didn't serve food had to operate under more stringent regulations — lower capacity, later reopening dates — than restaurants or bars that served food. Mofid spent thousands of dollars adding a kitchen so the Wrigley Tavern could keep operating. He also turned a neighboring empty lot into a beer garden.

Now, he needs to hire a bartender and servers to keep up with what he expects to be a big bump in customers. Mofid says he has been taking out ads and asking around for months.

"When I went to the store across the street to buy a 'Help Wanted' sign, they had sold out. It has been impossible. Everyone I speak to says the same thing. They're having the hardest time finding any employees," Mofid says.

Still, June 15 is a bright light at the end of a long, dark tunnel for most restaurateurs and bar owners.

Farah says she is ready to pop a bottle of champagne. "We took for granted the space that we had to actually seat people inside. We took for granted our customers being able to come and visit us. We never thought anything like this could happen. As tiny as it is, we took it being filled, we took the vibe, we took the liveliness for granted. We are just so ready to have it filled up again and see our customers and kick it with them.