In a sense, it was just as well the season went the way it did, considering the circumstances. Another Barcelona success would have ostensibly paved the way for a new dinastía, despite their deflating play last season. Real Madrid would have recycled another manager and the neutrals would have probably sensed the growing predictability about the whole thing, stifled a few yawns, and cast their gaze elsewhere.

As it turned out though, the neutrals certainly had a bellyful this year with Sevilla FC. Led by the omnipresent Dani Alves, Sevilla took Spain by storm with a vigorous exhibition of attacking prowess, sophisticated coordination and fateful mistakes. These untimely errors (then again, when is an error ever timely?) combined with the inevitable bad luck and unwound their plans for a once realistic and would-be deserved Treble.

Still though, Sevilla are the real deal, and have been this way for some time now. Their only drawback these last few years has been an inability to keep hold of their best men. Sergio Ramos, Julio Baptista, and Jose Antonio Reyes are the main culprits, and it's interesting to note that the latter two, despite their swollen transfer fees, have never and, I suspect, will never recapture the form or success they had at Sevilla.

It shapes up to be a royal battle, with an armada of teams swarming around players and staff alike. The Premiership mid-table contingent are already trying to reel Freddy Kanoute back in, while Dani Alves has been linked with every club this side of the Mississippi. I've even heard talk around town about hotshot boss Juade Ramos, although with the arrival of Swedish meatball Sven-Göran Eriksson at Manchester City, that gossip has cooled somewhat. Nevertheless, if Sevilla can sustain the foundation of their team, while adding a few pieces along the way, they could well have my bet of claiming the title from Real Madrid.

Speaking of Real, they certainly didn't break any sweat or waste any time in giving Fabio Capello the boot treatment. I guess that's because they probably sweated their glands dry after a frantic finish to the season and as far as wasting time, well let's just say they were the epitome of procrastination.

Back in March, both Real and Barca were ousted from the Champions League in less than spectacular fashion. Surprise, surprise, with their seasons beginning to crumble, the two foes were next on each other's fixture list, in a match that as always, was highlighted as a 'critical point' in both their seasons.

The match actually was a surprise, however, in that it finished in the most dramatic of fashions and upon reflection, did in fact turn out to be a critical landmark this term. Many now know the story of Leo Messi's near legendary hat-trick, complete with a well taken goal to deadlock the game at 3-3 at the last time of asking. Prior to this game, Madrid had only won one of their last six league games. Even though they again failed to win, the result did have a profound effect on the team. More than anything, it showed Madrid that Barcelona were certainly not unbeatable (which most of us knew by now) and that they could be made to chase a game, or perhaps even a season.

From then on, things were never the same in Spain. Madrid experienced an upturn in their fortunes, which coincided with the return to form of key players Guti and Fabio Cannavaro, and a place in the side for a resurgent David Beckham. I even spotted what could best be described as a grin from Capello. They began to etch out a pattern of late, vital goals that made for some absorbing football, and changed the course of their ship.

During April, Real Mdrid played three league matches that finished with a score of 2-1. These games were won with goals in the seventy-fifth, eighty-third and ninetieth minutes respectively. Madrid did lose one, but the games still held enough drama to develop some momentum that would resurrect their title challenge.

But the pepper really started burning in May, when Real Madrid produced a trídenté of dramatic finishes to snatch victory in their games. This included two goals in the last ten minutes to beat fellow challengers Sevilla 3-2, followed by a ninety-first minute strike by Gonzalo Higuain to secure a 4-3 win for Madrid that wiped out a 3-1 first half deficit against Espanol, and a stoppage-time goal by Roberto Carlos that defuncted Recrativo's 87th-minute equalizer, and gave Real a 3-2 win. Suddenly, with two rounds remaining, Real Madrid were top of La Liga and looked to have all the odds leaning in their favor.

Barcelona, meanwhile were having a miserable old time in maintaining their lead at the top of the table. They also were out of the Copa Del Rey, after a humiliating 4-0 loss against lowly Getafe, which inveterated a 6-5 aggregate defeat. Even though they too had their slice of late-goal fortune, with an 89th-minute own-goal going their way against Osasuna, they still couldn't piece together a good run of form to keep the distance between themselves and the chasing pack.

They finally ran plum out of luck at the end of May, against a resolute Real Betis squad. At about the same time that Higuain was putting the finishing touches on Madrid's comeback against Espanol, Rafael Sobis pulled off a comeback of his own when he equalized for Betis with thirty seconds left on the clock. I hadn't realized how badly they were playing up until this point, when they entered the penultimate round level on points with Madrid. To top it all off, they were behind on their head-to-head record - a factor which could not be helped now.

Even Sevilla joined in the late-goal fun, with similar strikes against Recrativo, Zaragoza and Deportivo, and even an extra time equalizer versus Espanol in the UEFA Cup final. The fourth and final title challenger, Valencia, kept up the newfound tradition with yet another last-minute item to win a tough game against Mallorca, following it up by conceding an eighty-seventh minute goal, then scoring twice in the last thirty seconds to finally lose to Villarreal 3-2.

Though Valencia have had their moments and Sevilla even poked their head out in front of the standings every now and again, this championship battle was psychologically always going to be a two-horse race.

And all of these last-gasp game winners paled in comparison with the most heart-stopping minute of La Liga football played this millennium when, in the penultimate round of matches, Real Madrid equalized with one minute remaining against Zaragoza to escape with a 2-2 draw. Then, inexplicably, at about the same time that the Madrid fans were celebrating their leveler, Barcelona blew it once again, conceding a goal against Espanol at the death to make it 2-2 in the Camp Nou, preserve Madrid's lead at the top, and put the finishing touches on a classic script of Spanish football.

None of the teams could take full advantage of the league leader's slip up (another recurring motif this Primera season) and Real Madrid were crowned the very next weekend after winning their final game. Sevilla stumbled their way to a third-placed finish, gaining only one point from their final two games, while Valencia fared even worse; managing only a draw in their last three.

Meanwhile, Barca were still fuming at their highly lackadaisical play that threw away what would have been their third consecutive championship. The fact it, Real Madrid did not win this trophy, Barcelona lost it. The suits at Barca knew that this was severely unacceptable, and have already begun to bolster the team for next season.

They've already signed a highly efficient and much needed full back in Eric Abidal as well as the excellent 'destroyer' Yaya Toure, while a few deadwoods like Edmilson and Sylvinho are rumored to be on their way out. However, I doubt that any moves Barcelona make this summer will hold a candle to their theft of a cut-price Thierry Henry. His acquisition, whilst providing a steady stream of goals and marketing revenue, will also add one more number (and ego) to an already congested attacking line. I'll enjoy guessing who the odd man out will be, unless Rijkaard somehow tries to cram them all in at once.

One player that deserves a place before anyone else is Leo Messi. His hat-trick against Real Madrid was just one of many iconic displays this term. He was out injured one-third of the time, yet still managed to score seventeen goals total - with two of those being carbon copies of the legendary Maradona brace against England. Forget all the supposed Maradona legatees to come down through the years, this lad is the true successor, and has been named so by the man himself.

The other two stalwarts in the Barca attack, Ronaldinho and Eto'o have been on the ropes for some time now. Barca fans may perhaps be thinking that it won't be too bad of an idea to make a few dollars off their hides this summer as they've both been unstable on and off the pitch. Ronaldinho simply doesn't surprise anymore and Eto'o seems to have misplaced the predatory instincts that made Barcelona sign him from the capital three years ago.

Madrid, incidentally, still have their own business to handle. Capello's gone, leaving a void that will apparently be filled by Getafe's Bernd Schuster, or the more enticing prospect of Arsene Wenger. The problem that I've seen with Madrid is that they've usually lacked a sense of coherence and continuity. There seems to be a new, crusty face in the dugout every nine months or so, and most of their signings haven't played as well as their price tag suggests. They've won this title on mistakes rather than merit, on blunders rather than brilliance, and one can bet that Barca, Sevilla or Valencia won't be so lenient next time.

As for the rest of the league, Villarreal and Zaragoza made the UEFA Cup, while Getafe stole the last European place by default, after their fellow Copa Del Rey finalists (and eventual winners) Sevilla were already signed up for the Champions League. Atletico Madrid ended up with nothing, and no longer wield their mysterious enchantment over Barcelona, after being dealt a 6-0 shellacking 'round Easter time. Real Socieded took the memories of their 2003 second place finish down with them to the second division, while Celta Vigo continued their practice of qualifying for Europe one season, and being relegated the next.

Regardless, it's been a year to remember. There was plenty of drama and I can't begin to remember a finish as animated or as rousing as this. But they've gone now, and the new season is a gaping two months away.

And I'm left with all the time in the world to think about it.