Real Madrid to get LaLiga trophy behind closed doors - sources

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Real Madrid will receive the LaLiga trophy in a behind-closed-doors ceremony at the club's Valdebebas training ground on Sunday, sources have confirmed to ESPN.

The Spanish football federation [RFEF] -- which is responsible for the league trophy -- had initially planned to hand over the trophy at Madrid's next game, away at Granada's Nuevo Los Cármenes stadium on Saturday.

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However, Madrid were reluctant for the ceremony to take place away from home, after a game which could mathematically seal hosts Granada's relegation from the first division, and rejected that proposal.

Sources said that instead, the trophy would be handed over by RFEF president Pedro Rocha to Madrid's players, staff and president Florentino Pérez in a private event at Real Madrid City on the morning of May 12.

The squad will later present the trophy to fans and the city's local authorities, although details of the celebrations are yet to be made official.

"On Saturday we were happy to have won the league," Ancelotti told a news conference on Tuesday. "But we had to control our happiness because we had to prepare for this game. Now the league is put to one side. On Thursday we'll think about celebrating."

Madrid clinched the LaLiga title last weekend when they beat Cádiz 3-0 before rivals Barcelona were beaten 4-2 at Girona, giving Madrid a 13-point lead at the top of the table with four games left to play.

It was a Spanish record 36th league for Madrid, who are also chasing Champions League success this season, hosting Bayern Munich in their semifinal second leg on Wednesday after the first leg finished 2-2.

The club traditionally parade through Madrid's streets on an open-top bus, visiting the city's regional government headquarters at Puerta del Sol and then the town hall, before joining fans at Cibeles, the fountain where they celebrate trophy wins.

Madrid's 2023-24 league win is their fourth in the last decade, and the second in three seasons under coach Carlo Ancelotti.

They have won 27, drawn six and lost just once in LaLiga this season, to earn a tally of 87 points after 34 games.

Meanwhile, Ancelotti outlined Madrid's respect for Bayern ahead of their Champions League semifinal second leg on Wednesday, 

"As clubs, they're similar," he said. "They have great tradition, great history, a lot of success in the Champions League. We respect each other and that's right, you have to respect your opponent, also because they did well, better than us, in the first leg."

However, the former Bayern coach said Madrid are taking nothing for granted against the Bundesliga giants

"We aren't optimistic, but we're very excited," he said. "It could be another magical night for us and our fans. But there's no optimism. There's an awareness of the difficulties we could face in the game."