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Cornellà de Llobregat: Barcelona received La Liga for the primary time since 2019 by thrashing Espanyol 4-2 on Sunday, wrestling the title again from rivals Actual Madrid.
The Catalan giants clinched their twenty seventh Spanish championship on the house of their neighbours, with scenes turning ugly at full time as celebrating Barcelona gamers had been chased from the sector by pitch invaders.
Robert Lewandowski struck twice for Barcelona, together with objectives for Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde.
Barcelona have endured a troubled interval on and off the pitch in recent times however their triumph indicators important enchancment, with coach Xavi Hernandez profitable his first main trophy since taking on in November 2021.
President Joan Laporta’s rebuild was broadly criticised final summer time in gentle of the membership’s perilous monetary scenario.
Early Champions League elimination was a blow, however the membership received the Spanish Tremendous Cup in January, earlier than sealing La Liga glory with 4 video games to spare.
Xavi didn’t spring any surprises together with his line-up and Barcelona’s first staff took to the pitch with one purpose firmly in thoughts, the top lastly in sight.
They conjured an electrical show, considered one of their most interesting this season, to seal their triumph and depart their metropolis rivals nineteenth, 4 factors from security with 4 matches remaining.
Barcelona broke the impasse after 11 minutes with a well-worked purpose, completed off by Lewandowski for his twentieth of the season in La Liga.
Ronald Araujo performed an inch good lengthy cross for left-back Balde, who blazed previous Espanyol defender Oscar Gil and crossed for Lewandowski to bundle house from shut vary.
Gil was overwhelmed by Balde once more for the second purpose, this time scored by the younger left-back after Pedri darted to the byline and scooped an inviting cross to the again submit.
It was Balde’s first purpose for Barcelona, capping an excellent breakthrough season for the teen, who has phased veteran defender Jordi Alba out of the facet.
Espanyol goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco tipped away a Lewandowski effort as Barcelona poured ahead, with the hosts battling to not be blown away.
It labored for some time, however guests grabbed the third earlier than half-time when Raphinha put the ball on a plate for Lewandowski to roll house.
The Polish striker’s arrival from Bayern Munich was a key a part of final summer time’s rebuild and regardless of a dip within the second half of the season, has paid the Catalans again in objectives.
Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a chic save to disclaim former team-mate Martin Braithwaite from shut vary in stoppage time on the finish of the primary interval.
Kounde headed house the fourth early within the second half from Frenkie de Jong’s good chipped cross as Espanyol’s defence crumbled but once more.
Some Espanyol followers headed for the exits early whereas others demanded the board resign, together with aiming one unsavoury chant on the membership’s Chinese language homeowners.
Ter Stegen denied Javi Puado when via on purpose, decided to earn a La Liga record-equalling twenty sixth clear sheet of the season within the prime flight.
Nevertheless moments later the Espanyol ahead discovered himself via on purpose as soon as extra and this time scored with a chic lob — small comfort within the face of Espanyol’s defeat and Barcelona’s glory.
Joselu pulled one other purpose again in stoppage time, but it surely was too little, too late.
Xavi’s facet celebrated at full-time, to the anger of Espanyol followers, who invaded the pitch, with Barcelona gamers sprinting down the tunnel to flee.
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