The final whistle brought a roar from the away end, a sound of relief and joy. Barcelona, under new manager Hansi Flick, have been crowned LaLiga champions after beating city rivals Espanyol 2-0 — and once again, it was Lamine Yamal who delivered the moment of magic.
At just 17, Yamal has become the face of a resurgent Barça side. On Thursday night, inside the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, he curled home a stunning opener early in the second half and later set up Fermín López for a stoppage-time finish that sealed the win — and the title.
“We didn’t have many clear chances,” said Raphinha, who has formed a strong partnership with Yamal on the flanks. “But we’ve got a kid in there with golden feet. He gave us the calm we needed.”
Espanyol were reduced to ten men after Leandro Cabrera clattered into Yamal in the 80th minute, picking up a straight red. From there, Barça looked comfortable. López’s late goal was the exclamation mark on what’s been a season of turnaround.
Just four months ago, the title seemed out of reach.
“In January, people thought we’d be fighting for third,” Raphinha admitted. “But the coach believed in us — and that changes everything.”
Flick’s Flying Start
For Hansi Flick, it’s been a debut season to remember. The German took charge last summer with the club still reeling from a trophyless campaign. Now, he’s delivered a domestic double — the league and the Copa del Rey — with a squad balanced between youth and experience.
“He told me from day one he trusted me,” Yamal said after the match. “When the coach believes in you, it makes all the difference.”
Yamal, who won the Euros with Spain last summer, now has 12 league goals and leads LaLiga in assists with 12 — remarkable numbers for a teenager still technically in school.
Flick has leaned heavily on youth, with La Masia graduates like López, Yamal and Alejandro Balde playing crucial roles. But he’s also rejuvenated senior players like Raphinha, who’s tripled his goal tally from last season and become one of the most reliable creators in the league.
Dethroning Real Madrid
Barcelona’s success has come at the expense of fierce rivals Real Madrid, who they beat 3-1 in the Copa del Rey final last month. Although Madrid still hold more league titles — 36 to Barça’s 28 — the balance of power in Spain appears to be shifting.
Barcelona’s hopes of a treble ended earlier this month when they were knocked out of the Champions League by Inter Milan in a wild 7-6 semi-final aggregate loss. Still, the domestic dominance offers plenty for fans to cheer.
With two matches left — Villarreal at home and Athletic Club away — the celebrations will continue.
“We’ve worked hard for this,” said Flick. “But now we rest, and then we prepare to build something even better.”
