So it appears that money can't buy you everything as high-rollers Real Madrid, who spent more than £200 million last summer, lick their wounds after being beaten into second place once more by their great rivals Barcelona.
The Catalan club, astutely managed by Pep Guardiola, clinched a second successive La Liga title on Sunday with a 4-0 win over Real Valladolid, ending the campaign on a hefty 99 points with 96 goals scored. Their great rivals meanwhile could only draw 1-1 with Malaga, meaning the title went to the Nou Camp for the 20th time in the club's illustrious history.
Much of Barca's success is down to Argentina superstar Lionel Messi, who hit 34 league goals and 47 in all competitions, equalling the club record which was set by Ronaldo in the 1996-97 season. He now heads to South Africa as one of the World Cup 2010 betting favourites to take home the golden boot.
Their victory will not go down well in the Spanish capital and the future of Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini is in doubt after just a year at the Bernebau.
But Real may do well to take a step back before making yet another reactionary move. A quick glance down the team sheets perhaps pointed to the clubs failings. Real can call on some very talented players, and their ranks were swelled significantly last summer with the expensive arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso. But this Galacticos approach is in contrast to their Catalan rivals, who had seven players developed from their youth system on show against Valladolid, Real had one.
Throwing a team of superstars together does not guarantee success and it appears the greater unity of the Barca side has got them through the games that matter - in particular two victories over Real in El Clasico. Anyone who placed a football bet on Barca will be delighted with the way the season has gone.
It will take something special to overtake Barcelona next season - so it is little wonder that the special one himself - Jose Mourinho - is being linked with a move to Madrid.
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