BARCELONA, Spain: Barcelona can clinch the Spanish league title this weekend and finally start moving past the exit of Lionel Messi three years ago.
The club need only two of the remaining 15 points in play to win their first domestic league since 2019. Their first chance at securing the title is on Sunday when they visit Espanyol.
Barcelona are 13 points ahead of Atletico Madrid, and Xavi Hernández’s team hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. Real Madrid, last year’s champion, are 14 points back in third and solely focused on their Champions League semifinal with Manchester City.
The last time Barcelona lifted the Liga trophy Messi was still the leader of a feared European powerhouse then coached by Ernesto Valverde. That capped a run of eight league titles in 11 seasons, among other trophies including three European Cups.
Since then, Barcelona have suffered a crippling financial crisis that led to the loss of the world’s best player and a subsequent decline on the field.
Barcelona managed to win the 2021 Copa del Rey – Messi’s last title before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain – under Ronald Koeman, but the 2019-20 and the 2021-22 campaigns ended with no silverware.
To turn this around this season, the club leadership made the controversial decision to sell off part of their future television revenues, as well as other assets, in order to inject new talent such as star striker Robert Lewandowski, winger Raphinha, and defenders Jules Koundé and Andreas Christensen.
Sergio Busquets is set to add to his 32 titles with Barcelona, including eight Spanish leagues, before he ends his career at his boyhood club come season’s end. The 34-year-old midfielder announced on Wednesday he will leave Camp Nou this summer.
LIKE A FINAL
Barcelona face a derby at a rival in desperate need of pulling off an upset.
Espanyol are in danger of joining the already relegated Elche in the second division next season. In second-to-last place, Espanyol are three points behind Getafe, also in danger, and Valencia, which are clinging to safety.
“We know that this is a life-or-death game,” Espanyol midfielder Nico Melamed said. “We will treat this like a final.”
The game will feature a duel between Lewandowski, who leads the league with 19 goals, and the competition’s third-top scorer in Espanyol striker Joselu Mato with 14.
A second-half penalty earned and converted by Joselu snatched Espanyol a 1-1 draw at Barcelona in December.
But Espanyol’s last win over Barcelona in any competition came in the 2018 Copa del Rey. Their last win over their mightier opponent in the league was in 2009.
Barcelona have been in control of the title race for almost two months, since beating Madrid 2-1.
If it slips against Espanyol, it will have four more chances starting against Real Sociedad in the following round.
Barcelona have 26 Spanish league titles, second to Real Madrid’s 35.
Barcelona can clinch first Spanish league title since Messi adiós
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Barcelona can clinch first Spanish league title since Messi adiós
- The club need only two of the remaining 15 points in play to win their first domestic league since 2019
- Their first chance at securing the title is on Sunday when they visit Espanyol
Real Sociedad edge rivals Athletic to reach Copa del Rey final
- Real Sociedad have now not lost in their last 10 derby clashes at home against Athletic, whom they beat in the 2020 final, and rarely looked like letting their advantage slip
SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain: Mikel Oyarzabal slotted home a late penalty to fire Real Sociedad into the Copa del Rey final with a 1-0 win over Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, securing a 2-0 aggregate semifinal triumph.
American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo has turned La Real’s fortunes around since arriving in December and his side will face Atletico Madrid in the Seville final on April 18, after they ousted Barcelona.
Already holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg at Athletic’s San Mames, Real Sociedad produced a sturdy display at the Reale Arena to knock out the 24-time winners.
“Very proud of what the boys have done, over the past two months, it’s pretty amazing,” said Matarazzo.
“Our first match was on the fourth of January... and we just reached the cup final.
“The football we’re playing is effective and we want to continue... we’re in the final and we want to win it.”
Real Sociedad have now not lost in their last 10 derby clashes at home against Athletic, whom they beat in the 2020 final, and rarely looked like letting their advantage slip.
“I think having the one goal advantage helped, we managed the tempo well,” Real Sociedad defender Jon Martin told Movistar.
“We didn’t want a lot to happen, and we did well.”
La Real had the better of a tense first half, with Carlos Soler coming closest. The midfielder’s free-kick, flying toward the top corner, was tipped over by Athletic goalkeeper Alex Padilla.
Matarazzo’s team had more of the ball and forced the visitors back, albeit without carving out many more openings.
Athletic defender Aitor Paredes made a last-ditch block to keep former Valencia midfielder Soler at bay, and Goncalo Guedes drilled into the side-netting.
Ernesto Valverde’s side improved in the second half and began to threaten La Real, again without finding a clear sight of goal.
Alejandro Berenguer fizzed a shot wide after Inaki Williams fed him on the edge of the box.
Los Leones were missing dangerous Spanish winger Nico Williams, who is sidelined indefinitely with a groin problem.
Oyarzabal seals it
The match was decided from the penalty spot when Athletic’s Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta grabbed a fistful of Yangel Herrera’s shirt as he tried to jump in the box.
After a VAR review the referee awarded a spot-kick and Spain striker Oyarzabal coolly sent Padilla the wrong way in the 87th minute.
Mikel Vesga might have levelled on the night for Athletic in stoppage time as they pushed forward with urgency but Real Sociedad stopper Unai Marrero saved well with his leg to help book his team’s flight to Andalusia.
“It was a hard-fought game, a Basque derby,” said Valverde.
“We had a clear chance at the end, we could have got back into the game but it wasn’t to be.”
Icelandic striker Orri Oskarsson could have extended La Real’s lead at the death but nodded against the post, although it did not matter in the end.
“It feels terrible, it’s a shame, we wanted to reach that final in Seville, I don’t even know what to say,” Athletic striker Williams told Movistar.
“(For the penalty) there’s that kind of grabbing in every box, every corner, and it’s very difficult (to take).”
