It was over before it had begun. Had it ever started? From the first whistle the Madrid mould mastered Malaga and there was something appropriate about Cristiano Ronaldo delivering the coup de grace. The Portuguese received a pass from Isco, with Ronaldo exploiting his centre-forward territory with majestic speed, an acceleration within the acceleration, before finishing with cool and composure.

The clock showed 1 minute and 37 seconds. That’s how long Malaga’s resistance lasted. Isco needed a nanosecond to expose Malaga’s weakness with a splendid, defense-splitting through ball. It was a high-grade Madrid goal executed with brilliant economy by two protagonists – Ronaldo, a twilight number nine, and Isco, whose superb second half of the season underpinned his arrival in the first team. The Spaniard has excelled in an advanced midfield role.

And so 88 minutes remained for a prolonged eulogy in honour of the champions elect. This was always going to be Real Madrid’s title, with all the chaos in Barcelona over the expanding post-Guardiola world and Luis Enrique’s abandonment of Cruyffian virtues. And “MSN” lacked the potency to heal the Blaugrana universe.

In a peculiar season when neither Madrid nor Barcelona were dominant enough to monopolise La Liga, Zinedine Zidane’s team merited its coronation. Yet Madrid rarely thrilled. Neither did they ever exhilarate. Gala nights were scarce, few the feats of collective dynamism, rare the 90 minutes of galactic gameplay.

Zidane’s impact

Under Zidane, Madrid’s stats have been amazing – a 40-game unbeaten run, 93 points in the league and La Undecima, the European SuperCup and the Club World Cup in the trophy cabinet. The Frenchmen is no longer a novice coach with a budding career who navigates his way through the tangled web of Madrid in-house politics and football’s many modern-day demands.

No, ‘Zizou’ has matured. He isn’t a new tinkerman, but both his game management and man management have been outstanding. The introduction of Casemiro in the midfield; the restrained use of Ronaldo, who has peaked when most needed to; the rise of Isco in behind the strikers, the balance between stars and blue collar players, the care given to the substitutes. It has all been done by Zidane, and yet, there is a lasting sentiment that with the rich tapestry of players at the Frenchman’s disposal Madrid should be playing with a suaveness that fits the club. Madrid’s squad has strength-in-depth.

Zidane hasn’t restored Madrid’s great footballing heritage, notwithstanding his nigh-impeccable results. Indeed, take nothing away from this league title. The Merengues deserved to win. When Karim Benzema scored the visitors second goal on Sunday, Barcelona were trailing 0-2 at home to Eibar. Barcelona needed three goals at Camp Nou and three goals from Malaga. It was chivvy from the football gods, a final torment for Luis Enrique, who leaves Barcelona perhaps under-appreciated.

The Catalans did their part. They scored four times, but Madrid never looked like relinquishing their lead, even if Malaga at times penetrated deep into Madrid’s penalty box. It was all a bit too routine for Madrid, all a bit too comfortable in a game of calibrated commitment, a calculated canter to glory. Isco and Casemiro made way for James Rodriguez and Mateo Kovačić, signaling Zidane’s satisfaction with proceedings.

When the moment arrived, Ronaldo lifted his arms to the heavens and beamed, while Zidane smiled. “You know where you are, as Real Madrid coach, you know the expectations are very high. I like that, I lived it as a player, I won everything with this club, with this jersey, but to win La Liga as coach is different, it is the maximum. Being first after 38 games, for me it is the happiest day of my professional life, for sure,” Zidane said.

His players then drenched him in champagne. It was Madrid’s 33rd La Liga title in all, and their first domestic championship in five years – all achieved with mundane football. Perhaps they will need more refinement in the Champions League final against Juventus, another club with 33rd domestic titles to its name.