Barcelona crowned La Liga champions after victory over 10-man Espanyol

Barcelona person been crowned Spanish champions for a 28th clip aft a 2-0 victory implicit Espanyol connected Thursday evening. The triumph means Barça person an unassailable pb astatine the apical of La Liga. They are 7 points wide of Real Madrid with lone 2 games near to play.

Fittingly, the triumph was sparked by a screamer from Lamine Yamal, Barça’s talisman this season, who chopped wrong from the close earlier unleashing a curling changeable beyond the scope of the Espanyol goalkeeper, Joan García. To marque matters worse for the hosts, Leandro Cabrera was sent disconnected precocious connected for lashing retired astatine the 17-year-old before, heavy into wounded time, Fermín López added a 2nd goal.

Hansi Flick took complaint of Barcelona 12 months ago having been sacked arsenic Germany manager successful September 2023. Replacing a Barça fable successful Xavi Hernández helium appeared a somewhat underwhelming assignment by the nine president, Joan Laporta, but has much than delivered, with the league rubric completing a home treble aft Barcelona besides bushed Real Madrid to the Copa del Rey successful a fiery last past month. They besides reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, losing narrowly to Inter successful an epic two-legged tie, portion playing scintillating attacking shot spearheaded by Lamine Yamal.

This La Liga rubric is Barcelona’s 2nd successful 3 seasons. They stay down Madrid connected that beforehand – Los Blancos person won the home title connected 36 occasions – but determination volition beryllium overmuch delight successful Catalonia successful having wrested the crown from their astir bitter rivals.

Madrid’s nonaccomplishment successful La Liga follows their limp exit to Arsenal successful the quarter-finals of the Champions League and, portion they did win the Intercontinental Cup successful December, it has been a disappointing play for the self-styled biggest nine successful the world, particularly fixed the excitement and anticipation regarding the summer accomplishment of Kylian Mbappé. To the Frenchman’s credit, helium has scored 40 goals this campaign, 28 successful La Liga.

Madrid’s run is besides a disappointing mode for Carlo Ancelotti to permission the nine earlier taking up the relation of Brazil manager successful a mates of weeks’ time. The Italian is wide expected to beryllium replaced astatine the Bernabéu by Xabi Alonso aft the erstwhile Spain midfielder confirmed his exit from Bayer Leverkusen astatine the extremity of the Bundesliga season.