Audio By Carbonatix
Barcelona clinched the La Liga title as wonderkid Lamine Yamal scored another stunning goal in their derby win at Espanyol.
The 17-year-old curled a fantastic shot into the top corner from the edge of the box to confirm his side as champions with two games to go and a seven-point advantage over Real Madrid.
Fermin Lopez added a second goal deep into injury time from Yamal's pass.
The game, though, was paused for a short time in the first half as news broke of an incident outside. A car drove into fans, with 13 people injured and four taken to hospital, but none were said to be in a serious condition.
Play restarted soon after and Barca claimed the decisive opener in the 53rd minute. It was Yamal's 17th goal of the season as cemented his place as one of the world's most exciting players of any age.
Espanyol had defender Leandro Cabrera sent off with 10 minutes left for lashing out with his arm to strike Yamal as they challenged for the ball.
Having already won the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup, the title success confirmed a clean sweep of domestic trophies for Hansi Flick in his first season as Barca boss.
His side also beat Real Madrid in both cup finals, having won all four Clasico meetings this season.
Barcelona, who also reached the Champions League semi-finals where they lost to Inter Milan in a dramatic encounter, are deserved champions with 169 goals in all competitions.
They were seconds away from becoming champions the previous day until Real Madrid scored an injury-time winner against Mallorca.
The Catalans needed to win this game to be sure of the title - but had to ride their luck a bit with Urko Gonzalez and Javi Puado missing chances for hosts Espanyol.
But Yamal was the hero, not for the first time, with a trademark finish from Dani Olmo's pass. He then provided the assist for Lopez's deflected finish just before the end.
In a quirk, Barca have been confirmed as champions at Espanyol's ground more times than at home in the 21st century.
They also won it at Espanyol themselves in 2023, while a Real Madrid draw at the RCDE Stadium in 2013 ended the title race. They have only won two league titles at the Nou Camp since the 1990s.
Yamal now has 24 goals in 104 games for Barcelona – plus four in 19 for Spain. The Euro 2024, La Liga and Copa del Rey winner does not turn 18 until the summer.
Among those 28 strikes are three in El Clasico, one in a Euro 2024 semi-final and another in a Champions League semi-final.
But maybe this might be the sweetest as it helped bring the La Liga title back to Barcelona for a 28th time.
The club's greatest ever player, Lionel Messi, had not scored a senior goal when he was Yamal's age.
And it is not just about goals, with the talented teenager recording 28 assists in his career, including 13 in La Liga this season - more than anyone else.
Latest Stories
-
He entered at eight. He is now 16: Ghana’s children growing up in prayer camps
44 minutes -
‘Development must not always begin from Accra’ — Anwelle Foundation launched in Jirapa
47 minutes -
PKO trio eye victories at Odwira Festival
3 hours -
346 Ghana Navy recruits pass out after 26 weeks of intensive training
3 hours -
Newsfile to discuss EOCO-MP arrest, drug trafficking, speech arrests and $235m water debt
4 hours -
JoyNews gets results as listeners raise GH¢40,000 to help 17-year-old student with cerebral palsy attend SHS
4 hours -
Vice President calls for stronger local pharmaceutical production to reduce medicine imports
5 hours -
The brewing tension at KNUST; Beware the Ides of October….
5 hours -
Health Ministry moves to integrate traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare
5 hours -
550 pupils in Kintampo South get educational lifeline as ‘Seeds of Hope’ reaches farming communities
6 hours -
Opoku Mensah urges Christian Council, House of Chiefs to speak up on democratic freedoms
6 hours -
Teacher unions’ strike: Minority demands immediate payment of teacher arrears, 20% deprived area allowance
6 hours -
The Accra-Kumasi Expressway: Building it right
6 hours -
Beyond gold exports: Building value and economic resilience from Ghana’s gold
6 hours -
2027 AFCONQ: Ghana under pressure as Gambia beat Somalia 2-1
7 hours