Table of Contents
- FC Barcelona have been confirmed as La Liga champions following their 2-0 win over city rivals Espanyol on Thursday night
- Barcelona were on course to winning a quadruple this season but suffered a heartbreaking exit from the UEFA Champions League in the semi-final stage last week
Spanish side FC Barcelona have been confirmed as La Liga champions following their 2-0 win over city rivals Espanyol on Thursday night.
Two years ago, Espanyol couldn’t stop Barca from winning the La Liga title at the RCDE Stadium. Fast forward to May 2025, a rejuvenated Catalan side led by young brave players triumphed again at the home of their city rivals. Barca’s La Liga win follows victory in the Copa del Rey last months and Supercopa de Espana, which means they have completed a domestic treble this season.
It’s Hansi Flick’s first season at Barcelona and the German has done a great job turning the ‘young musketeers’ into champions. The average age of Barca players this season is 25, and 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, 18-year-old Pau Cubarsi and 22-year-old Pedri are among the youngsters who have been outstanding for the Catalans in their title-winning campaign.
Barcelona were on course to winning a quadruple this season but suffered a heartbreaking exit from the UEFA Champions League in the semi-final stage last week. Afterwards, Yamal vowed he will never give up until Barcelona are Champions League winners.
To prove he actually has the potential to do what he is promising Barcelona fans, Yamal curled in a sumptuous effort during their memorable 4-3 win over La Liga title challengers Real Madrid on Sunday. Barca were trailing 2-0 after just 14 minutes but quickly turned the game around to take a commanding 4-2 lead at half-time.
FC Barcelona recorded a comfortable 2-0 win over Espanyol. Photo/ Somoy News – Somoy TV.
While their El Clasico rivals did pull back one goal back in the second half through Kylian Mbappe who completed his hat-trick of the day, Hansi Flick’s men held on to their narrow lead to the end. It was that match that left them one win from the La Liga title triumph. If Barca hadn’t won the El Clasico, they would have needed two more victories before being crowned champions.
FC Barcelona Wins La Liga At Espanyol
Barcelona winning the La Liga at Espanyol on Thursday seemed to be a difficult task at first. They had won the title at the home of their city rivals under Xavi Hernandez two years ago and Espanyol didn’t want to go through the experience once again.
The manager Manola Gonzalez insisted that all he cared about what his side’s victory to avoid relegation. However, the feeling was a bit different for fans who wished their team could find the back of the net first and then pack the bus until the final whistle.
Espanyol did start the match well and had the first chance, which Urko Gonzalez failed to capitalize on. However, Barcelona slowly started taking control of the game and managed a 80% possession in the first half. Their efforts paid off at the start of the second half when Yamal opened the scoring and recorded his 17th goal of the season.
With ten minutes left to play, Espanyol defender Leandro Cabrera was sent off for lashing out with his arm when challenging for the ball against the 17-year-old youngster. Fermin Lopez scored the goal that confirmed Barca as La Liga champions in stoppage time.
Car Rams Into Crowd During Espanyol vs Barcelona Game
During the early minutes of the game, attention was drawn to a car accident just outside the stadium where thirteen people were injured.
Car accident during Espanyol vs Barcelona game. Photo/ El Futbolero US.
One of the videos circulating on the internet showed fans outside RCDE Stadium surrounding a white car stopped between some bins. The car then drove into the crowd. Ten ambulances arrived at the scene but there was no death reported. The most serious injury was a broken leg.
The videos on the internet caused panic to the fans inside the stadium, with those behind Joan Garcia’s goal demanding for the match to be stopped. The referee paused the game for a few minutes as he was briefed by the police after which the game resumed.
