Vidal misses out on league winners’ medal for first time since 2011 as Barcelona throw away La Liga to Real Madrid

ARTURO VIDAL hasn’t been on a championship losing football team in almost a decade.

But this season the Chilean’s title-winning streak came to an end in a bittersweet fashion. 

Arturo Vidal has won eight league titles in three of Europe’s top divisions. He missed out on his ninth after Barcelona lost their La Liga crown to Real Madrid this termCredit: Getty Images – Getty

On Thursday the tenacious Barcelona midfield star missed out on the chance to claim his ninth championship medal, thanks to Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid. 

And the 33-year-old had been on a title-winning side an impressive eight times in three of Europe’s top football divisions. 

Since 2011 the 100-cap Chile international, who moved to the Nou Camp for £27million in 2018, has enjoyed some stunning league wins at Juventus, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona. 

In nine years, Vidal has celebrated glittering trophy success, including four Scudettos in Italy with Juventus, three Bundesligas with Bayern Munich, and last season’s La Liga title at the Nou Camp.

Other title wins include three league championships with Chilean Primera Division side CSD Colo-Colo.

But this term Vidal and his Barcelona team-mates lost their La Liga crown to their arch-rivals, courtesy of Madrid dispatching Villarreal, and Barca suffering a loss to Osasuna. 

Zidane’s men finished top of the table and seven points ahead of Barca, with a game to spare. 

The 2-1 win for the Bernabeu giants was followed by ecstatic post-match celebrations – and brutal analysis from Lionel Messi of Barcelona’s efforts to retain their crown. 

The furious Nou Camp skipper Lionel Messi was scathing in his assessment of his side’s “weak” spots. 

Following Barca’s 2-1 loss to Osasuna Messi said: “We have been an erratic and weak team.

“Madrid did its part by winning all its matches, which is impressive, but we also helped them to win this league. 

“We have to be critical of how we have played, starting with the players, and the rest of the club.

“We have lost because of our mistakes and not because of Madrid’s successes as many say.”

Barcelona will be looking to bounce back from what has been a disappointing end to their La Liga season. 

The club play Napoli in August in the second leg of the Champions League last 16 round. 

And the Spanish giants will be going to the return game at Nou Camp with an away goal advantage following their 1-1 draw in February. 

However, Qique Setien’s side will be without the services of Vidal who was sent off in just TWO seconds for a reckless tackle on Napoli’s Mario Rui.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk