Barcelona, Sevilla and Valencia were all in with a shout at one point before Madrid managed to clinch it in a thrilling finale to the campaign.

Coach Fabio Capello was close to losing his job earlier in the season with his use of defensive tactics quickly criticised by Madrid supporters.

Capello also had well-publicised spats with David Beckham and Antonio Cassano as well as seeing his relationship with president Ramon Calderon turn sour.

The white hankies were out in early February after a run of results which saw Los Merengues lose four out of six league games and score only two goals.

At this stage Barcelona were five points clear of their bitter rivals but they struggled to take advantage and failed to pull clear at the top of the table.

The Blaugrana's inability to win the big matches ultimately cost them dearly- their six defeats have come against the top five and city rivals Espanyol while five draws at the Nou Camp have also proved decisive.

The fact that Madrid won 12 of their games by only a solitary goal is testament to Capello's substance over style approach, although despite delivering the title for a second time his frosty relationship with Calderon could still see him leave the the club in the summer.

Frank Rijkaard's side ended the 2005/06 season as winners of the Champions League and Primera Liga as well as being celebrated as the best footballing side in the world.

A year later the Catalans' season drew to a close with Leo Messi's controversial "hand of god" goal against Espanyol and reports of a desperate 600,000 euro incentive offered to Madrid's last game opponents Real Mallorca.

Sevilla finish their league campaign as victims of their own success after heading into the winter break at the top of the table.

A run to the final of the UEFA Cup, which culminated in a penalty shoot-out victory over Espanyol, as well as a place in the final of the Copa Del Rey where they will face Getafe, has impacted on the consistency of Juande Ramos' side in the second half of the season.

Valencia seemed to be in the title reckoning in the early part of the season but a poor set of results in November meant they lost ground on the top three.

A brief resurgence saw them move to within three points of top spot in April but two defeats in May saw Quique Sanchez Flores' team forced to settle for the final Champions League place and a fourth-placed finish.

Real Zaragoza have seen a marked improvement in their fortunes after climbing from 11th-place in 2005/2006 to sixth place this season to earn a place in next season's UEFA Cup along with Villarreal.

Gimnastic Tarragona's return to the top-flight after a 56-year absence lasted only one season although their supporters leave La Liga with memories of completing a league double over Catalan neighbours Espanyol and 1-0 home wins over Sevilla and Zaragoza.

Athletic Bilbao's 109-year stay in the top flight has been extended by at least another year after they avoided relegation with a 2-0 win against Levante on the final day of the season.

Gimnastic are joined in the Segunda Division by Real Sociedad, who drop down for the first time in 40 years, and Celta Vigo, whose 2-1 defeat of Getafe on Sunday was not enough.