Barcelona has successfully defended its La Liga crown, securing a second consecutive title under coach Hansi Flick following a decisive 2-0 El Clasico victory over rivals Real Madrid on Sunday. The triumph, which marks the club’s 29th La Liga championship, was steeped in emotion for Flick, who revealed his father passed away just hours before the crucial match.

The Catalan giants moved to an unassailable 91 points, establishing a 14-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid with only three games remaining in a dominant campaign where Barcelona lost only four league matches. Villarreal sits a distant third on 69 points.

Dominant Clasico victory seals the championship

Barcelona wasted no time asserting their dominance in the El Clasico showdown. Nine minutes into the game, Marcus Rashford opened the scoring with a precisely taken free kick after Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger fouled Ferran Torres just outside the box. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was unable to prevent the opener.

The lead was doubled just nine minutes later, further cementing Barcelona’s control. Fermin Lopez delivered a cross into the area, where Dani Olmo produced a clever backheel to set up Ferran Torres, who slotted home the second goal.

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Flick’s emotional triumph and future

The victory was particularly poignant for Hansi Flick, who shared the deeply personal news of his father’s passing with his squad before the match. “This morning, my mum called me and she said that my father passed away,” Flick explained. “And so I thought about (whether) I should hide it, or should I speak with my team? Because for me it’s like a family. And I said, okay, I want to get the information to the players. And what they did (then) was unbelievable. I will never forget this moment. I’m really happy and really proud about everyone. Every player in the team. My staff around as well, and the club.”

Flick, who was tossed into the air by his players in celebration at full-time, expressed immense pride in the achievement. “I’m proud. I’ll never forget this day. Never. I’m happy about this (triumph) and the atmosphere in this stadium is unbelievable.”

His contract with Barcelona runs until 2027, and Spanish media has reported that he is expected to extend his deal by a year. Flick himself affirmed his commitment, stating, “I’m feeling in the right place, at the right time, and I think we all want to continue, and we want to give more for this club”, cited by Dawn.com.

Real Madrid’s season marred by injuries and internal strife

For Real Madrid, the defeat underscored a challenging season plagued by significant absences and internal issues. Coach Alvaro Arbeloa’s side was severely depleted, missing key players due to injury:

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• Eder Militao
• Dani Carvajal
• Ferland Mendy
• Arda Guler
• Rodrygo

Adding to their woes, Federico Valverde was unavailable after suffering a head injury following a midweek changing-room fight with teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, an incident that saw both players fined €500,000. Star signing Kylian Mbappe also did not travel for the Clasico due to a leg muscle injury. Real Madrid started Vinicius Jr alongside academy striker Gonzalo, with Jude Bellingham and Brahim Diaz pushing forward in support.

Arbeloa acknowledged the need for improvement within his squad. “We need to collectively take a step forward, to have a much clearer idea of what it is we want to do. To put the collective before the individual, because, beyond talent, we always need to have a clear idea, and for me this is the start. Above all, we have to learn that we dropped a lot of points against teams and in games where we shouldn’t have.”

He also expressed regret over Mbappe’s absence, stating, “I would have liked that he was 100 percent and that he was able to play, that’s what I would have liked.”

As Barcelona celebrates its domestic success, the club now sets its sights on ending an 11-year wait for the Champions League title next season, while also hoping to match the record of 100 points in La Liga in their final three league matches.

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Sources: www.dawn.com

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