Barcelona have officially claimed their 28th La Liga title after a commanding 2-0 win over local rivals Espanyol on Thursday evening. The win was powered by a spectacular strike from young sensation Lamine Yamal followed by a stoppage-time goal from Fermin Lopez that sealed the fate of the match and ensured Real Madrid can no longer catch up with just two matches left in the season.
The triumph also marks Barcelona’s second league title in six years and completes a memorable domestic treble for coach Hansi Flick’s side. The Champions League was the only major trophy that eluded the Catalan giants this season. The title victory at Espanyol’s ground echoes their 2023 championship moment, although this time the celebrations were briefly disrupted when Espanyol activated their sprinklers to soak celebrating Barcelona players who quickly retreated to the tunnel.
Lamine Yamal opened the scoring in the 53rd minute with a brilliant curling effort that cut through Espanyol’s defense and found the top corner of the net. The 17-year-old winger once again proved his talent on the big stage with what was his eighth La Liga goal of the season. Known for scoring crucial goals against top sides like Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid this season Yamal continues to rise as one of Europe’s brightest young talents.
Fermin Lopez added the second goal deep into injury time ensuring no late drama would spoil Barcelona’s celebration. Espanyol had moments of promise earlier in the match especially during the first half when they looked threatening on the counter-attack. Wojciech Szczesny was forced into a brilliant save to deny Javi Puado and keep Barcelona level.
Despite the early pressure from the hosts Barcelona held on and began to dominate possession even though chances were limited before the break. The turning point came in the second half when Yamal’s individual brilliance shifted the momentum. Espanyol’s challenge became even harder when Leandro Cabrera received a red card for an elbow to Yamal’s midsection reducing the home side to ten men.
Even with a numerical disadvantage Espanyol continued to push forward but Lopez’s goal in the 95th minute crushed any hope of a comeback. As Barcelona celebrated their win several Espanyol supporters responded by throwing bottles from the stands though security quickly brought the situation under control.
The win also came just days after Barcelona edged out Real Madrid in a thrilling 4-3 Clasico showdown effectively putting them in pole position for the league. While Real delayed the celebration with a late winner against Mallorca midweek Barcelona made sure to finish the job in Cornella.
Hansi Flick praised his team’s spirit and hinted that he expects even more from his players next season. “It’s part of our DNA to keep improving and learning” said the Barcelona boss. “I want the players to always stay hungry and strive to get better.”
Outside the stadium before kickoff a car drove into a crowd of Espanyol fans in what police described as an accident with no serious injuries reported.
Flick also noted the importance of respecting the opposing fans and said the team chose to celebrate their title win privately in the dressing room rather than on the field. “When I see the players happy and the people smiling that’s what I enjoy the most” he added.
