Barcelona secured their 28th LaLiga title on Thursday by defeating city rivals Espanyol 2-0, establishing an unassailable seven-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid with two games remaining.
Real Madrid’s slim hopes of retaining the title were extinguished after the defeat. Following their 4-3 loss to Barcelona on Sunday, Real needed to win all three remaining fixtures while hoping Barcelona gained no more than a single point.
However, Barcelona’s victory at Espanyol ended any mathematical possibility of Real catching up.
The match was delayed briefly after several fans were injured by a car outside the stadium, but once underway, it proved a hard-fought contest. Espanyol started strongly, testing Barcelona’s goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who made a crucial reflex save from Javi Puado.
It was teenage sensation Lamine Yamal who broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute with a superb curling strike from the right flank. Yamal’s trademark move saw him run laterally along the edge of the box before curling the ball between two defenders into the top corner.
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“Lamine's goal is a move he practices a lot, he had scored twice today in the warm-up the same way. We have to look after him and let him enjoy it, he is fantastic,” said teammate Pedri in an interview with Movistar Plus.
Yamal’s goal bolstered Barcelona’s confidence, and after Espanyol’s Leandro Cabrera was sent off for a straight red card following an elbow on Yamal in the 80th minute, substitute Fermin Lopez sealed the win with a late strike in stoppage time, assisted by Yamal.
The victory moved Hansi Flick’s side to 85 points, seven clear of last season’s champions Real Madrid, with Atletico Madrid trailing in third on 70 points. The triumph caps a remarkable debut season for Flick, who has guided Barcelona to a LaLiga and Copa del Rey double.
Barcelona are set to receive the league trophy during a special celebration in the city on Friday.
Pedri added, “You don't win a league every day so now we need to enjoy it and celebrate this trophy. It was one of the most complicated titles. We are happy with the year we have had. We've enjoyed it and so have the fans.”
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