The Estadio Santiago Bernabeu rocked as Karim Benzema slammed in the fourth goal in Saturday’s straightforward 4-0 win over Espanyol, as all the hard work through a season in which Carlo Ancelotti’s team have been head and shoulders above everyone else in Spain was getting its reward.

Minutes later the stadium was celebrating Madrid’s 35th La Liga title, as a mix of older heads and younger legs danced with the trophy on the pitch, with veteran coach Carlo Ancelotti right in the middle of the celebrations.

On his return to Madrid last summer, the veteran Italian put his faith in a small core, veterans like Benzema, Luka Modric and Thibaut Courtois, new arrival David Alaba and younger Brazilian trio Vinicius Junior, Eder Militao and Rodrygo Goes. He also showed the conviction to ditch those long serving players who have not kept their belief and physical levels up — so Gareth Bale, Eden Hazard and Isco played barely any role at all in the title success.

Not everyone has agreed with all Ancelotti’s decisions, both inside and outside the Bernabeu dressing room and boardroom. Even after his team had built an apparently insurmountable lead by mid-season, there were still some critics within and without the club, especially after March’s embarrassing 4-0 Clasico hammering by Barcelona.

Ancelotti accepted full responsibility for that defeat, and his team won each of their next five La Liga games, including Saturday’s 4-0 at home to Espanyol, which saw the title sealed with four games still to play.

This is not a vintage Madrid squad — but they rose to every challenge faced. Sevilla were their closest challengers, and were beaten by late goals in each meeting at the Bernabeu and the Sanchez Pizjuan. Barca and Atletico were both also put firmly in their place as Madrid more or less had the title already sealed by Christmas. They also won away at Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao and Real Betis. Ancelotti’s side could play in different ways — defend deep and counter, keep possession for long spells, or go on the front foot and attack, and generally did more than enough to really deserve the title.

“They have not had such regular moments of brilliant football,” a dressing-room source says. “They are a very solid, very consistent team, and done their job in each game. They played some good games, with individual flashes from Benzema and Vinicius.”

Some outside the Bernabeu might grumble that this was not a vintage La Liga either. Barca really struggled without their departed talisman Lionel Messi, while Atletico’s attempt to defend their title never got going.

Any idea that this title is not really worth celebrating so much was naysayed by the joy on the pitch and in the stands on Saturday. They still have Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final against Manchester City to prepare for, but it has been 15 years since Madrid had clinched a title at the Bernabeu, and their players and fans were definitely up to mark the occasion.

Ancelotti was also overjoyed as he became the first manager ever to win the title in each of Europe’s top five leagues – following his successes in Italy with Milan (2003-04), in England with Chelsea (09-10), in France with PSG (12-13) and in Germany with Bayern Munich (16-17).

The veteran Italian has at times been characterised as more of a cup specialist, but taking over a club which was listing badly last summer, and so quickly moulding together a team to so easily win the title is a remarkable achievement.

“Ancelotti deserves a big part of the credit,” says another source close to a long-serving player. “The club has not been signing superstars, but he has remade the team, showing all his experience.”