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Ancelotti: Barcelona are deserving champions after playing 'beautiful football'
Carlo Ancelotti was complimentary of Barcelona's LaLiga triumph, admiring their style, having struggled to beat Hansi Flick's side.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti says Barcelona's LaLiga title was well deserved as Hansi Flick's side played the game with consistency and beauty.
Madrid's win over Mallorca on Wednesday only delayed the title celebrations by one day, as Barcelona wrapped up a 28th LaLiga triumph on Thursday by beating Espanyol 2-0.
It leaves Madrid seven points adrift of their Clasico rivals, with only six left to play for.
The LaLiga win completed a domestic treble for Barca, who also beat Madrid in the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana finals as well. Having also been knocked out of the Champions League, Los Blancos only have the Club World Cup left to fight for in terms of silverware this year.
"This is part of football, sometimes you're not able to get the best out of everyone," Ancelotti told reporters ahead of Madrid's trip to Sevilla on Sunday.
"Barcelona have done very well, because they've been more consistent in the league and played very beautiful football.
"I congratulate them. They deserved to win this league. Next year will be a different story."
Madrid were beaten by Barcelona in all four encounters across all competitions in a season where the Blaugrana scored an astonishing 97 goals in 36 league matches, 23 more than Ancelotti's side.
The Italian, who is set to leave at the end of the LaLiga season to coach five-time world champions Brazil, lamented the number of injuries his side had suffered.
"This team has been able to believe even when no one believed [in us]. I will never criticise these players who have been able to give me so much joy over the years," he said.
"There have been too many injuries and very important players... throughout this season, these kinds of injuries have hurt us."
Ancelotti noted that his last season would have been even better if Madrid had managed to push the LaLiga title race to the final day.
He has enjoyed six mostly successful years at the Santiago Bernabeu across two stints, and leaves Madrid having won 15 trophies with the club overall, making him their most successful coach in terms of silverware.
"The Sevilla ground [Pizjuan] has always been difficult for us, our goal is to try to finish the season on a high note," Ancelotti added.
"I wanted to enjoy it in a different way, fighting until the last day for the league. Which hasn't been [the case], but I'm [still] enjoying it. And then, [I have] to prepare for another challenge."
Madrid have not lost any of their last 12 LaLiga away games against Sevilla, picking up four wins (D1), as many times as they had in their previous 16 visits (W4 D1 L11).
Ancelotti has won nine of his 11 matches against Sevilla in LaLiga (D1 L1), only beating two sides on more occasions in the competition - Celta de Vigo and Getafe (both 11).