Barcelona clinched their 28th La Liga title as teenage wonder Lamine Yamal scored another stunning goal in a derby win at Espanyol. The 17-year-old curled a fantastic shot into the top left corner from the edge of the box to confirm his side as champions.
With two games to go, they now hold an unassailable seven-point advantage over second-placed Real Madrid, crowning themselves La Liga 2025 champions.
Having already lifted the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup, this title completes a domestic treble for Hansi Flick in his first season as Barcelona head coach—a feat made even sweeter by a clean sweep of victories against rivals Real Madrid in all four Clasico clashes this season.
Lineups
Barcelona started with Marc-André ter Stegen in goal, João Cancelo, Jules Koundé, Ronald Araújo, and Alejandro Balde in defense, Frenkie de Jong, Ilkay Gündoğan, and Pedri in midfield, with Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, and Fermin Lopez leading the attack.
Espanyol lined up with Joan Garcia in goal, Omar El Hilali, Leandro Cabrera, Sergi Gómez, and Brian Oliván in defense, Edu Expósito, Keidi Bare, and Pol Lozano in midfield, while Javi Puado, Martin Braithwaite, and Urko Gonzalez formed the front line.
How the Match Unfolded
Despite a short pause in the first half after a car drove into fans outside the stadium—injuring 13 people and hospitalizing four (none in serious condition)—the match resumed with high intensity.
Espanyol came close through Urko Gonzalez and Javi Puado, but it was Barcelona who struck decisively in the 53rd minute.
Dani Olmo found Yamal just outside the box, and the teenager delivered a trademark curling shot into the top corner—his 17th goal of the season. Espanyol’s hopes dwindled further when Leandro Cabrera was sent off for striking Yamal with 10 minutes to go.
Fermin Lopez sealed the win deep into injury time, tapping in from Yamal’s pass which took a deflection en route.
Post-Match Analysis
This victory was more than just three points—it was a crowning achievement. Barcelona are now officially La Liga champions for the 2024/25 season. Their dominance was underscored by a remarkable 169 goals across all competitions, a Champions League semi-final appearance, and the added satisfaction of defeating Real Madrid in both domestic cup finals.
It was the third time since 2000 that Barcelona clinched the league title at Espanyol’s ground. In a twist of fate, the Nou Camp has only hosted two title celebrations since the 1990s. As celebrations began, Espanyol ground staff turned on the sprinklers to deter Barcelona’s jubilant players from lingering on the pitch—echoing the chaotic scenes of their title win there in 2023.
What the Coaches Said
Speaking after the end of the match, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick praised his squad, “We’ve always thought positively and we could feel it looking at training sessions. At Barca, you have to win titles, and three titles is just great.”
He added: “It’s always important to be mentally strong. That is what we looked for throughout the year. Winning the Super Cup in January gave us confidence. It was great to see how the players have reached their highest level and others have improved.”
Player of the Match
Lamine Yamal was the clear standout. At just 17, he has already won Euro 2024, La Liga, and the Copa del Rey. His 24 goals and 28 assists in 104 games for Barcelona (including 13 assists this La Liga season—more than any other player) underscore his meteoric rise.
“Lamine’s goal is a move he practises a lot, he had scored twice today in the warm-up the same way. We have to look after him and let him enjoy it, he is fantastic,” said teammate Pedri.
What Next
Barcelona will celebrate their triumph with an open-top bus parade through the city on Friday. They’ll be officially presented with the La Liga trophy at their final home game of the season against Villarreal on Sunday.
As the club looks toward next season with confidence, this domestic clean sweep offers strong validation for Hansi Flick’s vision—and a warning to European rivals that Barcelona are building something formidable.
Final La Liga 2025 Table
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