The filling of the sandwich between the two legs of a Champions League semi-final is a tasty one. On Saturday, against Espanyol, Real Madrid have the first of five match-balls at their disposal to clinch their 35th LaLiga Santander title.
Carlo Ancelotti's side need just one point from a possible 15 to secure the trophy, and the club is already working on possible celebrations.
With the utmost respect for Espanyol, a club with whom Madrid has maintained excellent relations throughout history, the club is obliged to prepare for the possible title celebrations, although always with subtlety.
Estimates suggest that some 250,000 people could gather in the Plaza de Cibeles if the team draws or wins against Espanyol. Festivities that are beyond the club's control, but which in any case will be taken into account by the club and the players.
If there is a party at Cibeles, the players will not be absent, although, due to the time of the match (16.15), the celebrations will not last until the early hours of the morning, as on other occasions.
Restraint
There will be restraint and moderation because just five days later, Real Madrid play the most important match of the season, always taking into account the importance of the match against Espanyol, which could be worth a title of its own.
The focus is on the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Manchester City, with the fundamental objective of returning Madrid to the final of the European Cup, territory that the team has not played in since 2018.
That's why moderation will be the general tone in the possible celebration by the club, aware that the season, which would end on a high note in the event of winning the league title, would reach excellence in the event of a final triumph in Saint-Denis.
Presentation of the trophy
What has been confirmed is that, should Espanyol get the points, Madrid will receive the trophy at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday to certify them as champions of LaLiga 2021/22.
The aim is to avoid images like those seen at Estadio La Rosaleda in 2017, when Madrid sealed the title but found themselves without a trophy as soon as the game was over.
In fact, Madrid received the trophy after the match against Villarreal in which they won their previous league title, in 2020, although they did so without the presence of the public in a match played at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano because of the pandemic.