Yamal’s brilliant opener and a late goal from Fermín López propelled Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with just two games remaining, clinching the club’s 28th La Liga crown and completing a remarkable domestic treble.
The Champions League was the only trophy to elude a youthful and exciting Barcelona squad this season, as they claimed the league title for the second time in six years, once again sealing it at Espanyol’s stadium, just as they did in 2023.
That previous title celebration ended in chaos as angry Espanyol fans stormed the pitch, chasing Barça players off the field. This time, Espanyol responded by turning on the sprinklers to douse the celebrating visitors, who quickly retreated to the tunnel.
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In a tense derby, Yamal broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute with a sublime curling finish, before López sealed the result deep into stoppage time in the 95th minute.
Outside the stadium, the night took an alarming turn when a car drove into a large crowd of Espanyol supporters ahead of the match. Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported, and police described the incident as accidental.
Barcelona came within seconds of securing the title a day earlier, only for Real Madrid to score a dramatic 95th-minute winner against Mallorca to delay the celebration momentarily.
Flick’s men began slowly at the RCDE Stadium in Cornellà, with 16th-placed Espanyol posing a threat on the counter-attack as they fought for top-flight survival. Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny was called into action in the first half, making a crucial save to deny Javi Puado during the hosts’ best opportunity before the break.
Barcelona controlled possession throughout the first half but struggled to carve out any clear-cut chances of their own.
Known for their explosive attacking displays this season, and nearing the 100-goal mark in La Liga, the Catalan giants found themselves in a high-pressure situation. With the title within reach and a hostile derby atmosphere surrounding them, they needed a moment of brilliance to break the deadlock.
That spark came from 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal. Cutting in from the right wing, the teenage prodigy unleashed a thunderous strike from outside the box into the top corner — a near carbon copy of his memorable goal for Spain against France in the Euro 2024 semi-finals.
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It marked Yamal’s eighth league goal of the campaign. With strikes in both clashes against Real Madrid and another away at Atlético Madrid, the youngster has already built a reputation for delivering in the biggest moments.
Barcelona’s thrilling 4–3 victory in Sunday’s El Clásico all but sealed the title, but they still had to finish the job against their city neighbours. That task became easier after Leandro Cabrera received a red card for elbowing Yamal in the stomach.
Despite going down to ten men, Espanyol continued to press aggressively. However, Barcelona weathered the storm, and in stoppage time, Fermín López fired past Joan García to extinguish any hopes of a comeback and seal the championship triumph.
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