The Blaugrana secured their first league title since 2019 with a convincing win over their local rivals in the Catalan derby
Robert Lewandowski and Alejandro Balde ran riot as Barcelona clinched a thoroughly-deserved Liga title. This was the Blaugrana at their very best, with the numerous attacking options working seamlessly en route to a 4-2 win over their local rivals.
Balde was at the centre of Barcelona's opener. The left-back darted down the wing before setting up Lewandowski in stride, for the Poland striker's 20th league goal of the season. And after assisting the first, Balde scored the second, latching onto Pedri's chip to the far post with a tidy finish.
Lewandowski was back at it for the third, this time turning in a Raphinha cross to establish an unassailable lead at half-time. The second half, though, wasn't quite as comfortable, despite Jules Kounde adding a fourth for the visitors, and Espanyol enjoyed a period of sustained pressure as they grabbed a much-deserved late pair of goals.
Still, Barcelona have had La Liga wrapped up for some time now, relying on a series of tight games and defensive showings to grind out results. Here, though, it was free-flowing, eye-catching, and delightfully simple for long periods. And with a promising, ever-improving squad, this could be Xavi's football of the future.
GOAL rates Barcelona's players from the RCDE Stadium…
Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence
Marc-Andre ter Stegen (6/10):
Rushed out to deny former team-mate Braithwaite at the end of the first half. Came up with another fine stop in the second. Will be frustrated not to have kept a clean sheet.
Jules Kounde (6/10):
Got himself on the scoresheet, nodding home Barca's fourth with a glancing header. Didn't exactly impress when moved to centre-back.
Ronald Araujo (7/10):
A quieter night than usual, but did everything right, minus an overhit pass or two. The defensive wheels fell off when he was substituted.
Andreas Christensen (7/10):
Solid until he was removed with what appeared to be an injury with 15 minutes remaining.
Alejandro Balde (8/10):
Set up the first, scored the second. Played high up the pitch and was a nightmare for Espanyol. Solid when switched to right-back, too. Saved his best showing of the season for the game that clinched the title.
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Pedri (7/10):
Missed a sitter early, made up for it by assisting Barca's second. Looked tired by the end, but was truly wonderful to watch for long periods.
Sergio Busquets (7/10):
Tidy after announcing he will leave the club this week. Will mark the end of his Barca career in the best way possible.
Frenkie de Jong (8/10):
Tackled well, kept things ticking in the middle. Picked out Kounde with an outrageous pass for Barcelona's fourth.
Gavi (7/10):
Pressed high, moved the ball. Inevitably booked. Not always pretty but he's such an important part of this side.
Getty ImagesAttack
Raphinha (6/10):
A mixed showing. Grabbed an assist but also made the wrong decision on one or two occasions. He will probably lose his spot when Dembele is fully fit.
Robert Lewandowski (8/10):
Opened the scoring with a simple tap-in. Added a second just before half-time. Clearly wanted a third, and tried to force things at times, but that's what the best goalscorers have the right to do. Now has 21 goals in La Liga.
Getty ImagesSubs & Manager
Jordi Alba (6/10):
Given 30 minutes and looked off the pace.
Ousmane Dembele (6/10):
Perhaps unlucky not to start after being fully fit for three weeks. Some good moments, but he's lacking a bit of sharpness in the final third.
Marcos Alonso (5/10):
Centre-back cover for the injured Christensen. Made a poor decision or two.
Ansu Fati (N/A):
Hardly touched the ball.
Franck Kessie (N/A):
Didn't have time to make an impact.
Xavi (9/10):
Back to the preferred formation, but didn't hand the now-fit Dembele a start. Still, it worked out. Barca scored two in 20 minutes and ran out 4-2 winners. Even Kounde got on the scoresheet. There was a bit of a defensive wobble, but who cares? League champs, job done, with even more promise for the future.