Barcelona Secures 27th La Liga Title with 4-2 Victory Over Espanyol, 1st Since 2019

Barcelona gained La Liga for the primary time since 2019 by thrashing Espanyol 4-2 on Sunday, wrestling the title again from rivals Real Madrid.

The Catalan giants clinched their 27th Spanish championship on the residence of their neighbours, with scenes turning ugly at full time as celebrating Barcelona gamers have been chased from the sphere by pitch invaders.

Robert Lewandowski struck twice for Barcelona, alongside with objectives for Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde.

Barcelona have endured a troubled interval on and off the pitch in recent times however their triumph indicators important enchancment, with coach Xavi Hernandez profitable his first main trophy since taking up in November 2021.

President Joan Laporta’s rebuild was extensively criticised final summer season in mild of the membership’s perilous monetary state of affairs.

Early Champions League elimination was a blow, however the membership gained the Spanish Super Cup in January, earlier than sealing La Liga glory with 4 video games to spare.

Xavi didn’t spring any surprises with his line-up and Barcelona’s first staff took to the pitch with one objective firmly in thoughts, the top lastly in sight.

They conjured an electrical show, one among their most interesting this season, to seal their triumph and go away their metropolis rivals nineteenth, 4 factors from security with 4 matches remaining.

Barcelona broke the impasse after 11 minutes with a well-worked objective, completed off by Lewandowski for his twentieth of the season in La Liga.

Ronald Araujo performed an inch good lengthy move for left-back Balde, who blazed previous Espanyol defender Oscar Gil and crossed for Lewandowski to bundle residence from shut vary.

Gil was crushed by Balde once more for the second objective, this time scored by the younger left-back after Pedri darted to the byline and scooped an inviting cross to the again publish.

It was Balde’s first objective for Barcelona, capping an outstanding breakthrough season for the teenager, who has phased veteran defender Jordi Alba out of the facet.

Espanyol goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco tipped away a Lewandowski effort as Barcelona poured ahead, with the hosts battling to not be blown away.

– Lewandowski double –

It labored for some time, however guests grabbed the third earlier than half-time when Raphinha put the ball on a plate for Lewandowski to roll residence.

The Polish striker’s arrival from Bayern Munich was a key a part of final summer season’s rebuild and regardless of a dip within the second half of the season, has paid the Catalans again in objectives.

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a elegant save to disclaim former team-mate Martin Braithwaite from shut vary in stoppage time on the finish of the primary interval.

Kounde headed residence the fourth early within the second half from Frenkie de Jong’s good chipped move as Espanyol’s defence crumbled but once more.

Some Espanyol followers headed for the exits early whereas others demanded the board resign, together with aiming one unsavoury chant on the membership’s Chinese homeowners.

Ter Stegen denied Javi Puado when by on objective, decided to earn a La Liga record-equalling twenty sixth clear sheet of the season within the prime flight.

However moments later the Espanyol ahead discovered himself by on objective as soon as extra and this time scored with a elegant lob — small comfort within the face of Espanyol’s defeat and Barcelona’s glory.

Joselu pulled one other objective again in stoppage time, nevertheless it was too little, too late.

Xavi’s facet celebrated at full-time, to the anger of Espanyol followers, who invaded the pitch, with Barcelona gamers sprinting down the tunnel to flee.

(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed)