Soccer-Thousands of Real Madrid fans celebrate league title with team

By Fernando Kallas

MADRID (Reuters) - About 150,000 jubilant Real Madrid fans flocked to the city's central Cibeles fountain on Saturday to join the players for a celebration of their record-extending 35th LaLiga title which was clinched with a 4-0 home win against Espanyol.

The supporters started gathering around the central landmark where the club usually celebrate their successes almost an hour before the end of Saturday's game, which Real won easily with two first-half goals by Rodrygo spurring them on.

Traffic restrictions were put in place as early as Friday while a stage was built around the fountain where the players on an open-top bus traditionally join the fans coming from the Santiago Bernabeu to continue the party.

It is the first time Real supporters have had a chance to gather without wearing masks for a celebration after the COVID-19 pandemic as the club's last league title triumph in 2020 was in the middle of lockdown.

The party started in the stadium with captain Marcelo leading the show.

It was a record-breaking day for the Brazilian defender who won his 24th piece of silverware with Real to leapfrog Gento as the player with the most trophy wins in the club's 120-year history.

He joined Benzema in lifting the trophy and led the team around the stadium as the players and coaches celebrated with their families on the pitch for more than an hour as thousands of fans remained in the stands to share the moment.

Two hours after the game the players arrived at Cibeles and Marcelo, in what is set to be the last of the 33-year-old's 16 seasons at the Spanish club, took the traditional responsibility of 'crowning' the Greek goddess statue.

He placed a Real Madrid scarf around the head of the statue and a white