Barcelona have been crowned La Liga champions after their 2-0 win over Espanyol on Thursday. The victory means Real Madrid, the second-placed team, cannot catch Barcelona at the top of the points table.Barcelona went ahead in the game eight minutes into the second half when their teenage sensation Lamine Yamal scored a stunning goal.
Another strike by Fermin Lopez in the 95th minute helped Hansi Flick’s side go seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, clinching Barcelona’s 28th title. With the La Liga title, Barcelona completed a superb domestic treble.This was Barcelona’s second La Liga title in six years.”It’s time to celebrate,” said Flick, who added that he would demand even more from his team next season. “It is in our DNA (to want to learn), it’s normal, and this is what I want from the players, that they always try to get better and they have this hunger, it’s crucial,” he said.Barcelona won the league after Real Madrid had won their match earlier in the day against Mallorca.Flick’s team made a slow start in Cornella, with Espanyol, 16th in the standings, looking sharp with their counterattacks. Barcelona’s Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny made a fine save to deny Javi Puado, who broke through on goal in Espanyol’s best chance of the opening period.Barcelona, however, dominated possession but could not create any clear opportunities in the first half.After a futile first half, Barcelona found the back of the net in the 53rd minute when 17-year-old Yamal zipped inside off the right flank and unleashed a blistering shot into the top corner from outside the box – a goal that resembled his strike for Spain against France in the Euro 2024 semifinals.It was his eighth La Liga goal of the season. With goals in both matches against Real Madrid and also on the road against Atletico Madrid, he has presented himself as a big hope for Spanish football.”I do not know what to say about Lamine, he scored an amazing goal, he has had an amazing season,” Lopez said.Earlier on Sunday, Barcelona had defeated Real Madrid 4-3 to effectively assert their command over their archrivals.As Barcelona ensured their league victory, the Espanyol fans turned violent and pelted bottles at the visiting team as they celebrated.”On the pitch it was clear we could not celebrate there … two years ago (there was trouble),” Flick told reporters. “It is also about respect for the fans here, (so) of course we celebrated in the dressing room, fantastic, the players could do that, really good. Tomorrow I will stand a little bit in the background and I also will enjoy it. When I see the people are happy and smiling I will enjoy it,” he added.