The game between FC Barcelona and Espanyol had high stakes for both teams. If Barca won, the title of La Liga champions would belong to them. If Espanyol won, they would mathematically ensure avoiding the relegation zone. While they both did whatever they could to secure victory, it could belong only to one. As many expected, the winner wore blue and garnet.
The first 45 minutes were just a prelude to what the fans would see in the second half. Although Barcelona controlled the game, Espanyol did not stay quiet. They noted a few great chances, none of which were converted into goals. More often than not, it was due to Wojciech Szczęsny’s impressive defences.
The Polish goalkeeper wasn’t the only Barcelona player who deserved praise. As he often does, Pedri created multiple great actions and conducted the game as if it were an orchestra. A little closer to Barca’s goal, Andreas Christensen helped his team avoid many dangerous situations. He was playing a flawless match until the 42nd minute, when he was shown a yellow card.
Despite both teams having many chances to score, the score still stood at 0:0 by the time the whistle ended the first half. The fate of the championship was to be decided after the break.
After the teams returned to the field, Lamine Yamal, a player whose name is often mentioned in conversations tied to the Ballon d’Or, finally opened the score. In the 53rd minute, he scored an exceptional goal. Surrounded by Espanyol players, he found just enough space to show off the talent that hides in his left leg. He shot right into the corner of the opponent’s net. There was nothing the goalkeeper could do as the ball soared past him.
The second turn of the game came 25 minutes later and, once again, involved Yamal. As Leandro Cabrera tried to make sure that the young Spaniard couldn’t steal the ball away from him, he closed his fist and hit the Barcelona player in the stomach. Yamal fell to the ground, and the game was quickly paused. After a short VAR check, the referee returned with a well-deserved red card for Espanyol’s player.
The fans of Espanyol were not happy about seeing one of their players leave the field, and they made sure their anger was heard. They got louder when, soon after, Gavi got away without seeing a card, despite fouling one of his opponents. More fuel was added to the fire when Espanyol’s Walid Cheddira was given a yellow card no more than two minutes later.
The referee decided the game’s fate in the 7 minutes added. Fermin Lopez got the ball from Yamal and scored the goal, which cemented his team’s win. The match ended soon after his beautiful shot.
Just like that, with two games to go, Barcelona won the La Liga for the 28th time. There is now mathematically no chance for any other team to catch up to their 85 points. While Blaugrana did not manage to secure all three major victories, they can still be proud of their results this season. If they keep their current form, 2026 could be the year to bring them the coveted treble.
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