LaLiga

Yamal’s Stunning Goal Secured Barcelona’s La Liga Crown

A stunning Lamine Yamal strike helped crown Barcelona as La Liga champion in a 2-0 win over local rival Espanyol on Thursday, with the victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch it at the top of the table.

Yamal’s effort and a goal from Fermin Lopez lifted Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble.

Only the Champions League escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as it won the league for the second time in six years, and did it Espanyol’s ground, just as in 2023.

Back then, Barca players were chased from the field by angry home supporters. This time, Espanyol turned on the sprinklers to soak the jubilant visitors, who quickly headed down the tunnel.

Yamal opened the scoring after 53 minutes of a tense derby clash with a brilliant curling effort, and Lopez added another in the 95th minute to secure victory.

“It’s time to celebrate,” said Flick, who said he would demand even more from his team next season.

“It’s in our DNA (to want to learn), it’s normal, and this is what I want from the players, that they always try to get better and they have this hunger, it’s crucial,” he said.

Outside the stadium before the match, several Espanyol fans were hit by a car which drove into a big crowd, although none were seriously injured, and police said it appeared to be an accident.

Barcelona was seconds away from sealing the title on Wednesday, but Real Madrid snatched a 95th-minute winner against Mallorca to delay the inevitable.

Flick’s side started slowly in Cornella, with Espanyol, 16th in the standings, looking dangerous on the counter and keen to secure its top-flight survival.

Wojciech Szczesny made a fine save to deny Javi Puado, who broke through on goal in Espanyol’s best chance of the opening period.

Barca dominated the ball but failed to create any clear opportunities in the first half.

The Catalan giant has often blown teams away this season, approaching 100 goals in La Liga, but with the title on the line and facing a hostile crowd, Barcelona needed something special to break through.

It came from 17-year-old wizard Yamal, who zipped inside off the right flank and unleashed a rocket into the top corner from outside the box, a replica of his goal for Spain against France in the Euro 2024 semifinals.

It was the teenager’s eighth La Liga strike of the season but with goals in both matches against Real Madrid and also on the road against Atletico Madrid, he has a penchant for the big occasion.

“I don’t know what to say about Lamine, he scored an amazing goal, he’s had an amazing season,” Lopez said.

Barca’s superb display in Sunday’s ‘clasico,’ in which it beat Real 4-3 in a thrilling battle, effectively secured the title.

It still had to get over the line against its neighbor, though, and that became easier when Leandro Cabrera was sent off for an elbow to Yamal’s stomach.

Even with one fewer player, Espanyol pressured Barcelona until Lopez drilled past Joan Garcia to end the its resistance.

Espanyol fans pelted Barcelona players with bottles as they celebrated the goal, but as the league’s youngest squad wrapped up a title that most believed was unlikely at best after Kylian Mbappe joined defending champion Real, they did not care.

“On the pitch it was clear we could not celebrate there … two years ago (there was trouble),” Flick told reporters.

“It’s also about respect for the fans here, (so) of course we celebrated in the dressing room, fantastic, the players could do that, really good.

“Tomorrow I will stand a little bit in the background and I also will enjoy it. When I see the people are happy and smiling I will enjoy it.”

Japantimes.co.jp

Related Topics:Barcelona La liga Lamine Yamal

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LaLiga

Balde, Fermin, Yamal Praise Raphinha

Barcelona players have been showing plenty of love for Raphinha during the post-season as they enjoy their holidays.

Alejandro Balde, Fermin Lopez and Lamine Yamal have all been spotted wearing Raphinha’s iconic Brazil No. 11 shirt while enjoying their time off.

It’s a massive compliment to Raphinha who enjoyed a stellar campaign last time out as Hansi Flick’s side won the double.

Alejandro Balde, Lamine Yamal et Fermin Lopez avec le maillot de Raphinha. pic.twitter.com/tlVsiQB8aI

Raphinha scored 34 goals and bagged 22 assists in all competitions last season and was also named La Liga’s Player of the Season.

The Brazilian’s form ensured that Barcelona handed him a new contract at the end of the season which will ensure he remains at the club until 2028.

Raphinha was in Brazil action after the domestic season ended in World Cup qualifying but is now also enjoying some time off before Barcelona are due to return to action next month for pre-season.

Barcablaugranes.com

LaLiga

Cazorla, 40, Seals Oviedo’s La Liga Promotion With Goal

Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla kick-started a dramatic comeback as Real Oviedo won the La Liga 2 play-off final to return to the Spanish top flight after a 24-year absence.

40-year-old Cazorla – who returned to his boyhood club in 2023 – converted a penalty late in the first half of Saturday’s second leg with his side 2-0 down on aggregate to CD Mirandes.

Oviedo levelled the tie in the second half through Ilyas Chaira before Francisco Portillo scored a stunning winner in extra-time to secure promotion.

Cazorla claimed the decisive goal in the play-off semi-final tie against Almeria, coming off the bench to convert a free-kick and secure a 3-2 aggregate victory.

Cazorla was a product of Oviedo’s academy, but was forced to leave the club in 2003 when financial issues decimated the club’s youth system and saw the first team re-enter in the third tier.

When Oviedo faced another crisis a decade later, Cazorla was one of thousands of fans and former players who purchased shares in the club to keep it alive.

A two-time European champion with Spain, the midfielder spent six years at Arsenal and made 180 appearances before leaving in 2018.

He suffered an Achilles injury in October 2016, going on to have 11 operations to cure the problem.

One of the operations led to gangrene with doctors telling Cazorla he should be satisfied to walk again, never mind play.

Bbc.com

LaLiga

“I Want To Retire At Real Madrid,” Says Courtois

He spoke ahead of the Club World Cup game against Pachuca

Speaking in Charlotte, North Carolina, before facing Pachuca in the FIFA Club World Cup, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois addressed speculation surrounding his future by saying, “I hope I can renew. I’m very happy at Real Madrid, playing here is a dream and every year that passes is another dream. I’m at the club’s complete disposal, they know I want to stay here… and hopefully retire here. But now it’s time to prove myself on the pitch. The rest will be easy to resolve.”

Courtois on how long the team needs to gel
“I can’t give an exact date or number of days. But we’ve been at it for a week now and we’re getting closer and closer to what the coach wants. We’re watching videos, having meetings… and there’s no choice but to go through trial and error, trial and error. Normally, there’s a pre-season with three, four or five matches, but here it’s the opposite. This is starting and we’re already in a tournament. That’s what Xabi said: we have to go out there to win, give it our all and wait.”

Courtois on his comments about Ancelotti’s influence still showing
“I didn’t say it as a criticism. Not at all. We’ve won so much in the last four years! I just meant that now it’s a bit different. But it’s not a criticism, it’s just that there comes a time when you have to adapt to something different, get closer to that style. It’s not a criticism of the last four years, it’s just something different.”

Courtois on his relationship with Dean Huijsen
“We almost always speak Dutch, it just comes naturally. He’s a great centre-back… Also huge in size! You have to get used to playing with him. The first game went well, but all these processes take time. He’s a smart guy and he’ll do well.”

Courtois on Pachuca
“Of course, we played them in December! They’re a great team and they’ve signed Kennedy, who I played with at Chelsea. They’re a great team and they’ll make it difficult.”

Managingmadrid.com