Barcelona have secured their 28th La Liga title in stunning fashion, with 17-year-old wonderkid Lamine Yamal delivering a moment of magic in a fiery derby win against Espanyol. The precocious forward curled a beautiful shot into the top-left corner from the edge of the box, sealing a vital 2–0 victory that mathematically confirmed Barça as Spanish champions with two games to spare.
The win gave Barcelona an unassailable seven-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid, capping a dominant domestic season under new head coach Hansi Flick. The title adds to their Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup triumphs, securing a clean sweep of Spanish football’s top honors.
Yamal’s Brilliance Seals the Title
After a brief delay in the first half due to a tragic incident outside the stadium—where a car drove into a group of fans, injuring 13 people—play resumed, and Yamal took center stage once again. His stunning strike in the 53rd minute not only opened the scoring but marked his 17th goal of the season, cementing his growing status as one of world football’s brightest stars.
In added time, Fermin Lopez doubled the lead with a finish set up by none other than Yamal, who also notched his 13th La Liga assist—the highest in the league this season.
Espanyol’s hopes of a comeback were dashed when defender Leandro Cabrera received a red card for striking Yamal late in the second half, reducing the hosts to ten men.
A Historic Season for Flick and Barcelona
The title is a massive achievement for Hansi Flick, who has led the club to three domestic trophies in his first season in charge. Notably, Barcelona beat Real Madrid in both the Copa del Rey and Super Cup finals, winning all four El Clasico meetings this season.
“We’ve always stayed positive,” Flick told Movistar Plus. “At Barcelona, the expectation is always to win trophies. Securing three in one season is fantastic. The Super Cup in January gave us confidence, and it’s been incredible to see how our players have stepped up and improved.”
Barcelona’s overall stats this season have been exceptional, with 169 goals scored across all competitions. They also reached the Champions League semi-finals, only to lose to Inter Milan in a dramatic clash.
Derby Drama and an Unusual Title Trend
Interestingly, this marks the second time in three years that Barcelona have clinched the title at Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium. In fact, they’ve now celebrated more La Liga title wins away at Espanyol than at their own ground, the Nou Camp, since the 1990s.
At full-time, a scuffle broke out between players, and Espanyol’s ground staff turned on the sprinklers in an attempt to clear the celebrating Barça players from the pitch—a repeat of similar post-match drama from two years prior.
The Legend of Lamine Yamal Grows
Lamine Yamal continues to break records and exceed expectations. The Euro 2024, La Liga, and Copa del Rey winner has already amassed 24 goals in 104 club appearances, plus four goals in 19 games for Spain—all before his 18th birthday.
Among those are standout goals in:
- El Clasico clashes
- A Euro 2024 semi-final
- A Champions League semi-final
Now, with the La Liga title on the line, he has once again delivered when it mattered most.
“He practices that kind of finish all the time,” said midfielder Pedri. “Even today in the warm-up, he scored two just like it. He’s incredible. We have to protect him, let him enjoy his football, and celebrate this moment.”
What’s Next for Barcelona?
Barça will celebrate their championship with an open-top bus parade through the streets of Barcelona on Friday. The official trophy presentation will take place at their upcoming home game against Villarreal on Sunday (18:00 BST), where fans are expected to fill the stadium in a celebration of dominance, unity, and youth-powered resurgence.
