Barcelona are LaLiga champions again after beating Real Madrid 2-0 at the Nou Camp on Sunday night, wrapping up the title with three games still to play.
Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres scored inside the opening 18 minutes to put the game beyond doubt early, and despite a much quieter second half, Barça never looked like giving Madrid a way back in.
The win puts Barça 14 points clear at the top of the table. With 99 points already secured and three matches remaining, they could yet reach the 100-point mark.
The Goals
Rashford opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a curling free kick that flew over the wall and into the far top corner. The foul was on Torres, who was brought down just outside the area by Antonio Rüdiger.
Torres then made it two shortly after, finishing off a smart flick from Dani Olmo, who had latched onto a cross and laid it off perfectly for the Spaniard to slam home.
Thibaut Courtois kept the deficit from getting worse, producing strong saves to deny both Rashford and Torres at different points in the game.
Madrid's Night to Forget
Real Madrid started with some intent, with Vinícius Júnior testing Joan García early, but they never really got going after falling two goals behind.
Jude Bellingham thought he had pulled one back in the second half, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Several Madrid players were also booked during a tetchy spell in which tempers frayed over a series of minor incidents. Trent Alexander-Arnold was among those cautioned.
Gonzalo García and Aurélien Tchouaméni both had chances to get Madrid on the scoresheet but failed to hit the target.
A Win Dedicated to Flick's Father
The game carried extra weight for Barcelona's manager. Just hours before kick-off, the club confirmed that Hansi Flick's father had passed away. Flick still took his place in the dugout, and both teams wore black armbands. A minute's silence was observed before the match.
Flick's side gave him the perfect tribute, controlling the game from start to finish and celebrating with him on the pitch at the final whistle.
Trophy Lift, History Made
The celebrations at full time were loud and long. Players were handed miniature LaLiga trophies before the real trophy was lifted in front of a roaring Camp Nou crowd. Flick, speaking after the game, called his squad a "family" and thanked the supporters.
It is the second LaLiga title in a row for Barcelona under Flick, who took over from Xavi Hernandez in 2024. The 29th Spanish league title in the club's history, it adds to a run that also includes back-to-back Spanish Supercopa wins and a Copa del Rey. Barca have now won five trophies since Flick arrived.
The result also marks only the second time in LaLiga history that an El Clasico has directly decided the title winner. The first time was in 1932, when a draw between the two sides handed the championship to Madrid.
For Madrid, it is a second straight season without a trophy in any competition.
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