Soccer

Barcelona secure La Liga title after derby victory over 10-man Espanyol

Barça’s 28th title caps fine debut season for manager Hansi Flick

Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's first goal against Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium. Photograph: Manaure Quintero/AFP via Getty Images
Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's first goal against Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium. Photograph: Manaure Quintero/AFP via Getty Images
Thu May 15 2025 - 22:36
La Liga: Espanyol 0 Barcelona 2 [L Yamal 53; F Lopez 90+5]

Barcelona have been crowned Spanish champions for a 28th time after a 2-0 victory over city rivals Espanyol on Thursday evening. The win means Barça have an unassailable lead at the top of La Liga. They are seven points clear of Real Madrid with only two games left to play.

Fittingly, the win was sparked by a screamer from Lamine Yamal, Barça’s talisman this season, who cut inside from the right before unleashing a curling shot beyond the reach of the Espanyol goalkeeper, Joan García.

To make matters worse for the hosts, Leandro Cabrera was sent off late on for lashing out at the 17-year-old before, deep into injury time, Fermín López added a second goal.

Hansi Flick took charge of Barcelona 12 months ago having been sacked as Germany manager in September 2023. Replacing a Barça legend in Xavi Hernández he appeared a somewhat underwhelming appointment by the club president, Joan Laporta, but has more than delivered, with the league title completing a domestic double after Barcelona also beat Real Madrid to the Copa del Rey in a fiery final last month.

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They also reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, losing narrowly to Inter Milan in an epic two-legged tie, while playing scintillating attacking football spearheaded by Lamine Yamal.

This La Liga title is Barcelona’s second in three seasons. They remain behind Madrid on that front – Los Blancos have won the domestic championship on 36 occasions – but there will be much delight in Catalonia in having wrested the crown from their most bitter rivals.

Madrid’s failure in La Liga follows their limp exit to Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and, while they did win the Intercontinental Cup in December, it has been a disappointing season for the self-styled biggest club in the world, especially given the excitement and anticipation regarding the summer arrival of Kylian Mbappé. To the Frenchman’s credit, he has scored 40 goals this campaign, 28 in La Liga.

Madrid’s campaign is also a disappointing way for Carlo Ancelotti to leave the club before taking up the role of Brazil manager. The Italian is widely expected to be replaced at the Bernabéu by Xabi Alonso after the former Spain midfielder confirmed his exit from Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the Bundesliga season.