Barcelona is celebrating profitable the Spanish league — and this time with out Lionel Messi. Barcelona lifted its first league trophy after Messi’s departure with a 4-2 victory at Espanyol on Sunday in a match marred by Espanyol followers storming the pitch on the finish of the sport and forcing Barcelona gamers to move for the locker room.
Robert Lewandowski scored twice to guide the Catalan membership to its first league title since 2019. The title was secured with 4 rounds remaining and two years after Messi left amid the membership’s monetary struggles. The final time Barcelona had celebrated a league title with out Messi in its squad was again in 1998-99. He got here into the primary workforce in 2004-05 and received the title that season.
Celebrations on the sphere have been short-lived Sunday as gamers needed to rush to the locker room after a big group of Espanyol followers from the extremely part behind one of many objectives began operating towards Barcelona gamers singing and celebrating within the middle. Security guards shortly intervened however riot police needed to stand in entrance of the tunnel’s entrance to stop the followers from stepping into. The supporters threw chairs and different objects.
Alejandro Balde and Jules Koundé additionally scored for Barcelona, which now has 27 league titles, eight fewer than Real Madrid. Third-place Atletico Madrid is 16 factors again after dropping 1-0 at last-place Elche earlier Sunday. The victory over metropolis rival Espanyol gave Barcelona an insurmountable 85 factors from 34 matches, 14 factors greater than Madrid, which received 1-0 at Getafe on Saturday.
Barcelona has led for the reason that thirteenth spherical and holds the league’s greatest protection with 13 objectives conceded — 14 higher than some other membership. It additionally has 25 clear sheets. “It’s a magnificent feeling, a feeling of job well done,” Barcelona coach Xavi stated. “This is important to give the club’s project some stability. The league title shows that things have been done the right way and that we have to stay on this path.”
Barcelona received eight league titles in 11 seasons via 2019. It completed second to Madrid in 2020, then third — behind Madrid and champion Atletico — in 2021. It was second to Madrid final season. Barcelona’s first title with out Messi got here within the Spanish Super Cup in January.
This is how we do it! _ pic.twitter.com/oKm9ZbAPQ1
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 14, 2023
The membership was but to win a serious trophy since president Joan Laporta took motion to restructure its debt and revamp the squad with gamers like Lewandowski, Jules Koundé and Raphinha. Laporta celebrated with the gamers within the locker room. Lewandowski opened the scoring on Sunday from shut vary within the eleventh minute after a cross by Alejandro Balde. The 19-year-old left again added to the lead 9 minutes later off a go by Pedri, scoring his first league aim with the membership.
Lewandowski, the league’s main scorer with 21 objectives, added his second within the fortieth after a low cross by Raphinha in a breakaway. Koundé scored the fourth within the 53rd with a header after an extended go by Frenkie de Jong. It was additionally his first league aim with the membership.
The loss dealt an enormous blow to Espanyol in its battle in opposition to relegation. It stayed second-to-last, 4 factors from security. Espanyol had received solely as soon as in its final 10 league matches, with a draw and eight losses. It was relegated in 2020 for the primary time in practically three many years, returning to the highest flight in its first try as second-division champion.
Javi Puado scored Espanyol’s first aim within the 73rd and Joselu added the second in stoppage time as Barcelona gamers have been on the point of have a good time.
It was the thirty second title with Barcelona for midfielder Sergio Busquets, who’s leaving the membership on the finish of the season. “I wished to depart by profitable an essential title just like the Spanish league and I’m blissful that I used to be capable of do it,” he stated.
Atletico Madrid loses
Atletico didn’t regain second place after the loss to already-relegated Elche. That defeat additionally prevented Atletico from mathematically securing a spot in subsequent season’s Champions League, although it might nonetheless do that by incomes some extent from its final 4 matches.
It was Atletico’s solely second loss in its final 16 league video games. The workforce’s different defeat was at Barcelona in April. Forward Fidel scored within the forty first minute to offer last-place Elche its fourth league win of the season.
