Barcelona has won the LaLiga championship for the first time since 2019. They defeated Espanyol 4-2 in the Catalan derby on Sunday. Robert Lewandowski scored twice in the first half, with Alex Balde also scoring for Barca. Jules Kounde added a fourth goal in the second half, leading the team to victory. The win put them 14 points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, securing the title with four games remaining.
Team History
This marks the 27th time Barcelona has won the Spanish top-flight championship. Madrid has won it 35 times, making them the only team to win it more than Barcelona. The last time Barcelona won the league was in 2019, during a golden era led by Lionel Messi. However, they failed to win it in the last three seasons. Last year, they ended the season 13 points behind Madrid. This season, the team was able to regain their place at the top of Spanish football.
Coach Xavi Hernandez
This is Barcelona’s first championship since Xavi Hernandez took charge at the end of 2021. After former midfielder Xavi replaced Ronald Koeman as coach, the team had a successful season. They were able to qualify for the Champions League and finish second in the league. Xavi was backed in the transfer market last summer, with the club selling off assets to fund the signings of Lewandowski, Kounde, and Raphinha. Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie also joined as free agents.
Season Performance
Throughout the season, Barcelona’s defensive record has been a key factor in their success. They have kept 25 clean sheets in LaLiga this season, conceding only 13 goals. Results in Europe have been less convincing, with the team exiting both the Champions League and the Europa League early. However, they did win the Spanish Super Cup final against Madrid, bringing the first trophy of the Xavi era. In the Copa del Rey semifinals, Madrid beat Barcelona 4-0 at Camp Nou after losing the first leg 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu. They went on to beat Osasuna in the final.
Barcelona is expected to receive the league trophy next weekend when they host Real Sociedad. They have three more fixtures against Real Valladolid, Mallorca, and Celta Vigo to close the season.
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