Malam anugerah La Liga

Cristiano Ronaldo clinches La Liga Player of the Year award ahead of Ballon d'Or

Cristiano Ronaldo is primed to clinch a second consecutive Ballon d'Or after beating Lionel Messi to the top prize in Spain.

The Real Madrid striker was handed La Liga's Player of the Year award on Monday night after scoring 31 league goals for the Champions League holders.

It may come as a blow to Messi, who had won each of the previous five. 

And the news sets Ronaldo up to claim the top gong when it's announced in January. 

'I have to thank my team-mates, Real Madrid, my family... it is a very good moment in my career,' Ronaldo, also named best forward of the season, said at the ceremony in Madrid.

'For me, the important thing is to win collective prizes, but I like the individual ones, too. I work every day, in training, to continue adding more to this.'

His Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale tweeted congratulations to Ronaldo and Keylor Navas, Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric.

He posted: 'Congratulations @NavasKeylor, @Cristiano, @SergioRamos and #Luka on your #LFPAwards … Great season last year, you all deserved them!!' 

Diego Simeone - who managed Atletico Madrid to the title - rightly took home the Coach of the Year award, while Sergio Ramos was voted the best defender.  

Newcastle's Ayoze Perez won two awards in Madrid on Monday night, recognising his impressive season at Tenerife last year.

The 21-year-old was given dispensation by the Magpies to attend the Liga de Futbol Profesional's annual awards and walked away with the Liga Adelante's breakthrough player gong, as well being named the Segunda Division's best attacking midfielder.

Perez, who opened his Newcastle account in Sunday's 2-1 win over Tottenham, scored 16 times in 34 appearances for Tenerife last term.

Perez, who will be back in time for the Capital One Cup match at Manchester City on Wednesday, told NUFC TV: 'I'm really, really proud to be part of the names (in Madrid), because the awards are for players in the Primera and Segunda so it's a very important awards ceremony.'

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2810838/Cristiano-Ronaldo-clinches-La-Liga-best-player-award-ahead-Ballon-d-Or.html