Ronaldo at the double as Real Madrid cruise past Deportivo – but it’s not enough to secure title

ByEurosport

Updated 14/05/2016 at 18:10 GMT

La Liga final day, Riazor – Deportivo 0-2 Real Madrid (Ronaldo 7, 25)

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring the opening goal for Real Madrid against Deportivo La Coruna

Image credit: Reuters

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid beat Deportivo 2-0 on the final day of La Liga – but it wasn’t enough to snatch the title from Barcelona.

Zinedine Zidane’s side needed to beat Deportivo and hope Granada could somehow take points off Barcelona as they tried to capture an unlikely league title.

And while Ronaldo and Co kept their side of the bargain, Granada were unable to hold off Barcelona as they fell to a 3-0 loss.

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As well as seeking club glory, Ronaldo was determined to secure the Golden Boot award, though it was always an ambitious dream.

He began the day on 32 league goals – four behind Luis Suarez – and he added two more in a sensational first-half display. He should have grabbed a couple more but was twice denied by the woodwork.

Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale controls the ball during the Spanish league football match RC Deportivo de la Coruna vs Real Madrid CF at the Municipal de Riazor stadium in La Coruna on May 14, 2016.

Image credit: AFP

It took Ronaldo just seven minutes to break the deadlock when he was left unmarked at the back post to slot in his side’s first of the match.

Real’s advantage was then doubled on 25 minutes when Ronaldo bundled the ball over the line from a corner-kick.

Knowing Barcelona were cruising at Granada, and with the win virtually wrapped up at half-time, Zidane turned his focus to the Champions League final and replaced Ronaldo at the break.

The visitors failed to get out of second gear after the restart and Deportivo were the better side for the remainder of the match.

Keylor Navas made a point-blank save to deny substitute Rober and ensure Real Madrid kept a clean-sheet as they recorded their 12th consecutive league victory.

Despite a positive result, it was a disappointing day for Real who have now gone four consecutive years without the La Liga title.

TALKING POINT

Trailing leaders Barcelona by nine points at the end of February, Real Madrid had virtually no chance of securing the La Liga title. But they very nearly did.

Taking over in January, Zinedine Zidane won 20 out of his 25 games in charge, including 12 consecutive wins which almost snatched the league title out of Barcelona’s hands. He has also guided them to a Champions League final.

It is unclear whether Zidane will remain in charge next season but there is absolutely no question he should be given the opportunity.

Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane gestures on the sideline during the Spanish league football match RC Deportivo de la Coruna vs Real Madrid CF at the Municipal de Riazor stadium in La Coruna on May 14, 2016. Real Madrid won 2-0.

Image credit: AFP

MAN OF THE MATCH

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) – Really, who else? He was clearly determined to score at least four times to snatch the Golden Boot award from Luis Suarez and would have reached his goal, only for the woodwork.

PLAYER RATINGS

Deportivo: Pletikosa 7; Pablo 6, Arribas 6, Sidnei 6, Navarro 5; Cartabia 5, Mosquera 5, Bergantinos 5, Fajr 5; Lucas 6, Alberto 5. Subs: Riera 5, Borges 5, Rober 6.

Real Madrid: Navas 7; Carvajal 6, Pepe 6, Ramos 6, Marcelo 7; Kroos 7, Casemiro 7, Modric 7; Bale 7, Benzema 8, Ronaldo 9. Subs: James 6, Jese 6, Isco 6.

KEY MOMENTS

7’ - GOAL! Deportivo 0-1 Real Madrid - Well, it was coming and it's taken only seven minutes for Real Madrid to take the lead. Bale goes past his marker too easily, picks out Benzema whose mis-hit shot falls kindly to Ronaldo who slots the ball into the back of the net.

25’ - GOAL! Deportivo 0-2 Real Madrid - Ronaldo grabs his second of the afternoon as he bundles the ball over the line from a corner. The home fans are furious - they feel Arribas was fouled in the build-up to the set-piece but the referee allows the goal to stand.

28’ - POST! The woodwork denies Ronaldo a first-half hat-trick! He latches onto a long ball from Pepe - the Deportivo defence freezes - Ronaldo is onside, he knocks the ball past the goalkeeper but it bounces against the post.

Deportivo La Coruna's Croatian goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa (front) stops a shot by Real Madrid's Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez during the Spanish league football match RC Deportivo de la Coruna vs Real Madrid CF at the Municipal de Riazor stadium in

Image credit: AFP

32’ - CROSSBAR! Unbelievable! Ronaldo has already scored twice and struck a post but he's just seen a shot smash off the crossbar now.

44’ - CHANCE! The visitors have a free-kick, from around 30 yards, Ronaldo to take. His shot is blocked by the wall, he strikes the rebound at goal and it falls kindly to Casemiro but he puts the ball over the bar with just the goalkeeper to beat.

53’ - SAVE! Lucas - who has 17 goals this season - hasn't had a sniff today but he forces Navas into a good stop just now with a shot which was goal bound.

70’ - CHANCE! Real's defence falls asleep as Rober is left unmarked at a corner but Navas saves at point-blank range to deny the substitute.