Real Madrid presents their 37th Liga title to the madridistas
The squad, the coaching staff and the board of directors visited the headquarters of the Comunidad de Madrid and the City Council.
Real Madrid offered its 37th basketball league title to the madridistas. The squad and coaching staff, along with club president Florentino Pérez and the board of directors, visited Madrid's institutions with the trophy won on Wednesday in Murcia. They first visited the headquarters of the Comunidad de Madrid and then went to City Hall.
The first stop was the Real Casa de Correos, headquarters of the Comunidad de Madrid, where President Isabel Díaz Ayuso awaited them and an exchange of gifts took place. Florentino Pérez and Sergio Llull presented a replica of the league trophy and a shirt to the president of the Comunidad, who reciprocated with a commemorative sculpture. A video was shown with the best images of the team in the final, followed by the captain's speech: "Thank you for welcoming us yet again. We're delighted to be back. Thanks also to our president for his support and to my teammates and the coaching staff. It's been a very long and hard season and it's a great joy to end it on a high note by winning this Liga title. We're very proud of the work we have done and hopefully we can come back next year with more titles."
Florentino Pérez: "Once again it has been a great season"
"It has once again been a great season for Real Madrid basketball, which has added three new titles to the history of our club. This team, which is already legendary, has won the Spanish Super Cup, the Copa del Rey and LaLiga."
"So the first thing I want to do is to thank all our players and our coach, Chus Mateo, for having managed to make the madridistas happy with their work and their talent while remaining faithful to the values of Real Madrid. Those principles that speak of sacrifice, self-improvement, never giving up, humility, companionship, respect and solidarity."
"Here you have Liga 37. Real Madrid have won six of the last 10 league titles. This is the result of the hard work of everyone who is part of our broader team. And that is why I want to highlight the work of our basketball director, Juan Carlos Sánchez Lázaro, whose work has been and continues to be fundamental in achieving what this team has achieved in recent years. Together with Alberto Herreros and Alberto Angulo, they have been able to put our team in the place it deserves because of its history and its track record."
"Dear players and dear coach: I want to convey to you the pride that all of us madridistas feel for what you have been able to achieve. And for having formed a great family that passionately embraces this badge and this shirt."
Isabel Díaz Ayuso: "Real Madrid means dreaming big"
"Real Madrid has done it again. It is a real pride to have them back in their home, in the Comunidad de Madrid. You are making history for Madrid and for Spain. These weeks of glory will hopefully be repeated many times and will remain in the memory of millions of people all over the world. Real Madrid has given this region another important win, their 37th Liga, at the same time as we bid farewell to the great Rudy Fernández." The president of the Comunidad de Madrid brought the player up to receive a tribute in the form of a video of his best moments and to present him with a replica of a menina in memory of all the people of Madrid."
"Real Madrid is an exceptional family that never tires of winning. This season they won 72 out of 86 matches. As well as being a great club, it is a way of playing, fighting and winning. A club that knows no borders and that represents such an international Madrid. No Spanish team has won the Liga ACB so many times. Congratulations to Florentino Pérez because he is achieving the greatest sporting successes in the club's history. Real Madrid means dreaming big."
Once the speeches were over, the traditional family photo was taken and the players went out onto the balcony of the Comunidad de Madrid to offer the title to the fans present at the Puerta del Sol.
Visit to City Hall
The next institutional stop was at City Hall, where another exchange of gifts took place. President Florentino Pérez and Llull presented a replica of the trophy and a shirt to the mayor, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, who in turn reciprocated with a replica of the Puerta de Alcalá. In addition, the mayor presented Rudy Fernández with a commemorative painting.
Martínez-Almeida: "You are the pride of this city"
After watching a video tribute to the winners with images of the league final, Martínez-Almeida opened a round of speeches: "And what can I say, because you come here so often it makes it hard to say something new. We're delighted that you keep coming back. We admire you and the feats you are achieving are astonishing. The numerous titles in the last decade link you with the best in the history of Real Madrid."
"You are an extraordinary team. The best way to sum it up is to say that you are competing against the history of Real Madrid. You are the most successful team with a brilliant history and it's very difficult to exceed expectations year after year. Congratulations and well done, you are the pride of this city and you are marking a historic era."
Praise for Rudy
"That ovation moved all of us Madrilenians. We're going to return all the love you have given to Madrid."
Florentino Pérez: "Unity and a sense of family are our success"
"Today we present Liga 37. A league title, which we want to offer to all madridistas and to the City of Madrid. Because, as I always say, dear Mayor, this is our starting point, Madrid. Our city is the origin of this universal myth that is Real Madrid."
"I want to thank all the players for their hard work this season and especially those who are breaking records that may seem impossible, such as our captain Sergio Llull, the player with the most games in the history of Real Madrid basketball. Or like our eternal Sergio Rodríguez, an example of the values of our club. And we have to thank a madridista who is already an undisputed legend of Real Madrid and Spanish basketball. Thank you, Rudy Fernández."
"My thanks and those of all madridistas go to our coach Chus Mateo, who transmits the values of Real Madrid and who has already won, in his first two years, 5 titles with the club of his life. Thanks to all the workers at our club and to the fans, whose strength and support ensure that our team never gives up. This is the key to our success. Unity and the feeling of being part of a big family. This is the only way to understand Real Madrid throughout its history."
Llull: "Without your support, President, nothing would be possible"
"Thank you very much, President, for your constant support because without it none of this would be possible. I would also like to thank Juan Carlos Sánchez Lázaro and Herreros, and congratulations to the whole team. Wearing this shirt carries a great responsibility that obliges us to fight to the end and to be able to be here with this trophy and to think about next year to come back with more. That's what this club is all about."
A word for Rudy
"I would like to congratulate and thank Rudy. It has been an honour to have competed alongside you for so many years. We've finished on a high note, winning the Liga. You gave us that leap of quality to win and to believe that we could win. Best of luck". The event at City Hall concluded with a family photo.