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Barcelona have officially been crowned the 2024-25 La Liga champions after securing a 2-0 victory over their local rivals Espanyol in a hard-fought Catalan derby, completing a memorable domestic treble.
Despite a shaky start where Espanyol squandered two clear one-on-one opportunities in the opening minutes, exposing a Barcelona defense that has conceded 19 goals in their previous eight matches, Hansi Flick’s side grew into the game. However, they failed to replicate their usual dominance and entered halftime with the scoreline still locked at 0-0.
Espanyol continued to frustrate Barcelona after the break, displaying their typical intensity and toughness when facing their biggest rivals. With clear scoring chances at a premium, it was the brilliance of young star Lamine Yamal that finally broke the deadlock.
In the 53rd minute, the 17-year-old winger received the ball in space on the right flank for the first time all match. He quickly cut inside and unleashed a perfectly curled shot into the top corner, a finish that has become his signature move. This magnificent goal proved worthy of clinching Barcelona’s 28th La Liga title.
Once ahead, Barcelona took control of the game. Frustration began to boil over for Espanyol, culminating in Leandro Cabrera receiving a straight red card after a VAR review for throwing an arm and striking Yamal in the stomach.
Flick’s team comfortably saw out the remainder of the match and sealed the victory in stoppage time. Yamal turned provider, assisting Fermín López, who emphatically blasted a shot into the bottom corner to confirm Barcelona’s status as league champions.
Jubilant celebrations erupted immediately after the final whistle. The Catalans have been the standout team in Spain’s top flight throughout the season, and dethroning their fierce rivals Real Madrid as La Liga champions in Espanyol’s home stadium added an extra layer of sweetness for the Blaugrana.
Barcelona will now host Villarreal on Sunday at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, where the celebrations are set to continue in front of their adoring home supporters.