Expansion
Without Argentine star footballer Lionel Messi, Barcelona achieved the distinction of becoming La Liga champions for the first time in four years. Barcelona last won the Spanish league title in 2019 while Messi was there. This time Barcelona have put La Liga in their bag for the 27th time with four matches remaining. With 85 points in 34 matches, he became champion in a 4-2 win over Espionage on Sunday night.
Polish striker Robert Lewandowski scored two goals in Barcelona’s victory. However, after being crowned champions, Barcelona’s supporters did not allow Espional to celebrate and they had to go straight from the field to the locker room.
Barcelona became the winner in 1998-99 without Messi
Without Messi, Barcelona became the winner 25 years ago in the 1998-99 season. Messi first came to the club in the 2004–05 season and in the very first season Barcelona became the winner. Real Madrid has won 35 more La Liga titles than Barcelona. He beat Getafe 1–0 to take second place in the league. Madrid is currently 14 points behind Barcelona. Earlier, second-placed Atlético Madrid were defeated 1-0 by last-placed Elche to drop to third place.
Lewandowski scored two goals
Lewandowski gave Barcelona the lead in the 11th minute on Alejandro Balde’s cross. Nine minutes later, Balde scored from Pedri’s pass to make it 2-0. This was Balde’s first goal in the league. Lewandowski scored another goal in the 40th minute on Rafinha’s cross. With 21 goals, he became the league’s top goal scorer. In the 53rd minute, Conde scored through a header from Frankie de Jong’s pass. Javi Paudeau scored in the 73rd minute and Joselu scored in stoppage time for Espionage.
It’s a great feeling: Xavi
After becoming the champion, Barcelona coach Javi Hernandez said, “It is a great feeling. It is the feeling of doing the job in the best possible way. It is important to provide some permanence to the club’s projects. Winning the league title shows that things are going in the right direction and we have to continue on this path.
