Barcelona secured their 27th Spanish championship by defeating Espanyol 4-2 at their home ground on Sunday. Robert Lewandowski scored twice, along with goals from Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde, while Javi Puado and Joselu netted two for the hosts. Barcelona’s triumph marks a significant improvement for the Catalan giants, who had been struggling on and off the pitch in recent years.
club had a troubled period last summer due to their precarious financial situation, and although they were eliminated early from the Champions League, they won the Spanish Super Cup in January before clinching the La Liga title with four games to spare.
Xavi Hernandez, the coach of Barcelona, was elated with his team’s victory and believed that it was proof that the club was headed in the right direction. He praised his team’s performance, stating that it was one of their finest displays of the season. The club’s victory over Espanyol brings “a lot of calm, a lot of hope for the future,” he added. Xavi, who took over as coach in November 2021, has won his first major trophy with the club.
Barcelona dominated the game from the start, with Lewandowski scoring the opening goal from close range after a Balde assist. Balde then scored the second goal with a Pedri cross to the back post, and Raphinha put the ball on a plate for Lewandowski to roll home the third. Kounde scored the fourth early in the second half from Frenkie de Jong’s perfect chipped pass. Espanyol’s defense struggled to keep up with Barcelona’s attacks and conceded goals throughout the match.
At full-time, Barcelona players were chased from the field by pitch invaders, which resulted in ugly scenes. The club celebrated their victory despite being in Espanyol’s stadium. Espanyol fans headed for the exits early, while others demanded the board to resign, including aiming an unsavory chant at the club’s Chinese owners. The defeat left Espanyol in 19th place, four points from safety with four matches remaining.
In other matches, Atletico Madrid suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat at the hands of relegated Elche, while Valencia secured an important late victory against Celta Vigo, climbing provisionally to 14th, three points above the relegation zone.
