Barcelona have secured the 2024-25 La Liga title with two games to spare courtesy of their 2-0 victory over Espanyol in the Catalan derby on Thursday night.
Hansi Flick's side were seconds away from being crowned champions without even taking to the field on Wednesday night, but Real Madrid managed to score a last-gasp winner against Mallorca to keep themselves in the title race.
It was therefore over to Barcelona to claim the victory that they required against Espanyol in order to secure the championship, and Lamine Yamal's stunner early in the second period sent the visitors on their way, before Fermin Lopez added a second late on.
Flick's team have moved onto 85 points in the La Liga table, seven points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, meaning that they cannot be caught at the summit, with just two rounds of matches left to be played.
As for Espanyol, the hosts, who had Leandro Cabrera sent off late on, remain 16th in the division, but they are five points clear of the relegation zone and therefore in a very strong position heading into their final two games of the campaign.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
Β© Imago
Barcelona have been the best side in La Liga this season by a distance, and it would have been a travesty if they had not been crowned Spanish champions considering the level of their performance throughout the campaign.
The Catalan outfit have not been perfect - far from it - but they have been a sensational watch, scoring 97 times in their 36 matches, which is 23 more than Real Madrid and some 37 more than Atletico Madrid in third.
Yamal, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski have all had standout campaigns in the final third of the field, and it is three trophies for Flick in his first season at the club, with the German also enjoying success in the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey.
The Champions League will be the big disappointment considering how close Barcelona were to making the final, but it has still been a glorious season for the club when taking into account how impressive Real Madrid were last term.
Barcelona ended the 2023-24 La Liga season in second, boasting 85 points, but they are set to improve on that this term, while their record now stands at 27 wins, four draws and five defeats from 36 matches.
Espanyol did their best to spoil the party on Thursday night, and the hosts deserve credit for their performance, but the title is heading back to Barcelona, with the Catalan giants crowned top-flight champions for the 28th time in their history.
ESPANYOL VS. BARCELONA HIGHLIGHTS
Lamine Yamal goal vs. Espanyol (53rd min, Espanyol 0-1 Barcelona)
What a hit by Lamine Yamal! π€―π€―
β Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) May 15, 2025
The 17-year-old star gives Barcelona the lead with a breathtaking strike into the top corner π
ππππ πππ‘ππ ππ¦ @sbk | 18+ | πππππ π πΊπππππ π ππ ππππ ππππ¦ pic.twitter.com/PjyZcuhYHY
Barcelona make the breakthrough in the 53rd minute of the contest, and the goal comes from Yamal, who works his way to the edge of the penalty box before curling one into the top corner - that is just absolutely outrageous from this sensational talent.
80th min: Leandro Cabrera (Espanyol) red card
Espanyol's task is made harder! π¬
β Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) May 15, 2025
Leandro Cabrera is shown a red card for violent conduct after lashing out at Lamine Yamal π₯
ππππ πππ‘ππ ππ¦ @sbk | 18+ | πππππ π πΊπππππ π ππ ππππ ππππ¦ pic.twitter.com/UuQ5s58ih8
Espanyol are reduced to 10 men in the 80th minute of the match, as Cabrera throws his arm into the body of Yamal; the referee is sent across to the monitor, and he produces a red card.
Fermin Lopez goal vs. Espanyol (96th min, Espanyol 0-2 Barcelona)
The goal that secured the title! π΅π΄
β Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) May 15, 2025
FermΓn LΓ³pez with a brilliant finish after a great bit of play by Lamine Yamal π
ππππ πππ‘ππ ππ¦ @sbk | 18+ | πππππ π πΊπππππ π ππ ππππ ππππ¦ pic.twitter.com/w79YCF3lLB
Barcelona double their advantage in the 96th minute and surely win the title, as Fermin fires into the bottom corner of the net following an excellent pass from Yamal; incredible scenes here.
MAN OF THE MATCH - LAMINE YAMAL
Β© Imago
Quite whether there has ever been a 17-year-old as good as Yamal in football history is an interesting debate, but one thing is for absolutely certain, the Spaniard is already one of the best players in the world, and he was again sensational on Thursday night.
Espanyol just could not live with the forward when he had possession, and his curling effort was absolute beauty.
Yamal had five shots, while he completed four dribbles and finished with a pass success rate of 81%, including a pass into Fermin to set up Barcelona's second of the match in the final moments.
ESPANYOL VS. BARCELONA MATCH STATS
Possession: Espanyol 25%-75% Barcelona
Shots: Espanyol 9-12 Barcelona
Shots on target: Espanyol 1-4 Barcelona
Corners: Espanyol 3-3 Barcelona
Fouls: Espanyol 8-10 Barcelona
BEST STATS
1 - #Barcelona π΅π΄ only had one shot on target in the first half against #Espanyol π΅βͺοΈ; only against Real Sociedad (in November) and LeganΓ©s (in April) did they have fewer shots on target in a first half in @LaLigaEn 2024/25 (0 in both cases). Wall. pic.twitter.com/dvIoMX2s1w
β OptaJose (@OptaJose) May 15, 2025
3 - No @LaLigaEn player has scored more goals from outside the box than #Barcelona's π΅π΄ Lamine Yamal in all competitions since March (3, as Rayo Vallecano's Pedro Diaz). Missile. pic.twitter.com/VZ8JJgxv7O
β OptaJose (@OptaJose) May 15, 2025
π€― NO ONE IN SOCCER HISTORY HAS WON THIS MANY TROPHIES AT LAMINE YAMAL'S AGE:
β MARCA in English πΊπΈ (@MARCAinENGLISH) May 15, 2025
π΅π΄ With #FCBarcelona:
π LaLiga (2022/23)
π Copa del Rey (2024/25)
π Spanish Super Cup (2024/25)
π #LaLiga (2023/24)
πͺπΈ With Spain:
π UEFA Euro (2024)
π HISTORY IN THE MAKING π#Barcelona pic.twitter.com/IoUR1R5iuU
WHAT NEXT?
Barcelona's penultimate match of what is now a title-winning campaign comes against Villarreal on Sunday night, before finishing their season with a clash against Basque outfit Athletic Bilbao on May 24.
Espanyol, meanwhile, will be aiming to avoid a fifth straight defeat when they travel to Osasuna on Sunday evening, before finishing their campaign with a home fixture against already-relegated Las Palmas on May 24.
Matt Law
