Cornella de Llobregat (Spain), May 16 (HS): Barcelona captured the La Liga 2024-25 title late Thursday night with a 2-0 defeat of local rivals Espanyol. Seventeen-year-old star Lamine Yamal scored in the 53rd minute to give the team the lead, and an injury-time goal by Fermín López sealed the victory.
With this win, Hansi Flick’s team has pulled seven points clear of Real Madrid, with only two matches remaining in the league. This victory marks Barcelona’s 28th La Liga title and completes their domestic treble (La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Spanish Super Cup).
Interestingly, Barcelona won this title at the same Espanyol ground where they had also secured a championship victory in 2023. However, at that time, angry spectators forced the players to flee the field. This time, the dissatisfaction of Espanyol fans was evident, but they merely sprayed water fountains on the field, which cut short Barcelona’s celebrations.
In the first half, Barcelona maintained possession but failed to create significant chances. Espanyol troubled them with counterattacks, and their player, Javi Puado, had a good opportunity to score, which Wojciech Szczęsny brilliantly saved.
In the second half, Yamal broke the ice with a spectacular goal. He cut in from the right wing and scored with an exceptional curling shot from outside the box that went straight into the top corner. This goal was reminiscent of the one he scored for Spain in the Euro 2024 semi-finals.
Espanyol suffered a setback in the 62nd minute when Leandro Cabrera received a red card for elbowing Yamal in the stomach. Nonetheless, Espanyol maintained pressure, but in the final moments, Fermín López scored a goal, extinguishing their hopes.
Before the match, an incident occurred where some Espanyol fans were hit by a car. However, the police described it as an accident, and there were no reports of serious injuries.
This season, Barcelona has had a stellar domestic performance, with only the Champions League title evading them. However, this young team has ignited hopes for the future.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
