Barcelona crowned LaLiga champions after Lamine Yamal's stunning goal in win at Espanyol
Lamine Yamal scores stunning goal at Espanyol and sets up Fermin Lopez's late second in a 2-0 win that secures a league and cup double for head coach Hansi Flick in his first season in charge, with Barcelona dethroning rivals Real Madrid after beating them in the Copa del Rey final
Friday 16 May 2025 09:08, UK
Barcelona have been crowned champions of LaLiga after a Lamine Yamal-inspired 2-0 win at crosstown rival Espanyol.
Second-half goals from Yamal and Fermin Lopez either side of Leandro Cabrera's sending off for Espanyol secure a league and cup double for head coach Hansi Flick in his first season in charge.
"We didn't have many clear chances but we have a kid in there who sometimes pulls something out of the golden feet he has and he gave us peace of mind to stay in the game more calmly," Raphinha said of Yamal.
"In January some people were saying we would fight to be third. We have confidence in ourselves. That's the key. We trust in the work and in what we know we can do.
"The most important thing was the confidence of the coach. Knowing at the start of the season that he was counting on me, a person who controls the team... it changes you in the end."
Raphinha has tripled his goal tally from last season and also has the third-highest number of assists in LaLiga with nine, three behind leader Yamal.
How Barca clinched title
This was Yamal's season.
So it just had to be the teenage phenomenon who scored the decisive goal to clinch Barcelona's 28th league title.
And what a goal it was.
The 17-year-old, a league winner for the second time, found the top corner with a pinpoint, curling strike from the edge of the box to open the scoring after 53 minutes.
Unstoppable Yamal, who Cabrera struck to earn a red card with 10 minutes remaining, then set up fellow La Masia graduate Lopez in stoppage time to safeguard the win.
It was a perfect culmination of the young forward's last 10 months after helping Spain win the Euros last summer.
Barcelona have dethroned rivals Real Madrid, who they beat in the Copa del Rey final last month.
The treble was still a possibility until earlier this month, when Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League by Inter Milan in one of the great semi-final ties, losing 7-6 on aggregate.
Barcelona won their 28th Spanish title with two games to spare, but are still some way off matching Real Madrid's tally of 36.
They host Villarreal this Sunday before travelling to Athletic Club a week later in their final game of the campaign.
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