Barcelona sealed their first La Liga title since 2018-19 with four games to spare after a stylish win at the home of city rivals Espanyol.
Barca were 3-0 up by half-time, Robert Lewandowski scoring his 20th league goal of the season before Alejandro Balde, 19, doubled the lead.
Lewandowski added the third before Jules Kounde’s header made it 4-0.
Espanyol did reduce the deficit through Javier Puado and Joselu but remain in trouble near the bottom of the table.
Barcelona have 85 points, 14 more than nearest rivals Real Madrid, with 12 points left to play for.
It is their first La Liga title since club legend Lionel Messi left in August 2021 and first since Xavi was appointed manager in November 2021.
Meanwhile, Espanyol are in danger of a second relegation in four seasons from La Liga after a ninth league defeat in 11 games.
They are four points from safety with four matches left.
Xavi delivers in first full season
Barcelona’s players will have to wait to get their hands on the trophy but they celebrated after the full-time whistle before making a hasty retreat to the dressing room after some Espanyol fans dashed on to the pitch.
Barca trailed Real Madrid by three points after losing 3-1 away to them on 16 October, while they made a disappointing exit from the Champions League after losing three of their six group games.
But Xavi, who won eight La Liga titles during a distinguished 17-year career playing in Barca’s first team, has delivered in his first full season in charge.
It was a particularly emotional night for captain Sergio Busquets, who has confirmed he will leave Barcelona at the end of the season after 18 years at the club.
This is the 34-year-old’s ninth league title with Barca but the future looks promising for the side, with Balde and Kounde scoring their first La Liga goals in Barcelona colours.
Barcelona will move out of their Nou Camp home next season while the stadium is redeveloped.
But fans will get a chance to celebrate the club’s first major trophy since 2020-21 during their last two home games – against Real Sociedad on Saturday and Mallorca on 28 May.
Line-ups
Espanyol
Formation 5-3-2
- 13Pacheco
- 2Gil
- 23Montes
- 24Gómez SolàSubstituted forPuadoat 45′minutes
- 4Cabrera
- 14OlivánSubstituted forKoleoshoat 84′minutes
- 21MelamedSubstituted forExpósito Jaénat 87′minutes
- 10DarderBooked at 39mins
- 6D SuárezSubstituted forCaleroat 45′minutes
- 17BraithwaiteSubstituted forPedrosaat 55′minutes
- 9Joselu
Substitutes
- 3Pedrosa
- 5Calero
- 7Puado
- 8Bare
- 12de Souza Costa
- 16Lazo
- 18Pierre-Gabriel
- 20Expósito Jaén
- 22Vidal
- 25Fernández Llorente
- 30Koleosho
- 34Fortuño Viñas
Barcelona
Formation 4-3-3
- 1ter Stegen
- 23KoundéBooked at 2mins
- 4AraújoSubstituted forAlbaat 63′minutesBooked at 82mins
- 15ChristensenSubstituted forAlonsoat 74′minutes
- 28Balde
- 8PedriSubstituted forKessiéat 89′minutes
- 5Busquets
- 21F de Jong
- 22RaphinhaSubstituted forDembéléat 62′minutes
- 9Lewandowski
- 30GaviBooked at 39minsSubstituted forAnsu Fatiat 74′minutes
Substitutes
- 7Dembélé
- 10Ansu Fati
- 11F Torres
- 13Peña Sotorres
- 17Alonso
- 18Alba
- 19Kessié
- 20Roberto
- 24García
- 32Torre
- 36Tenas
- Referee:
- Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea
- Attendance:
- 27,360
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Espanyol 2, Barcelona 4.
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Second Half ends, Espanyol 2, Barcelona 4.
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Goal! Espanyol 2, Barcelona 4. Joselu (Espanyol) left footed shot from very close range to the high centre of the goal following a corner.
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Fernando Calero (Espanyol) hits the right post with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by Adrià Pedrosa with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Espanyol. Conceded by Marcos Alonso.
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Attempt blocked. Joselu (Espanyol) left footed shot from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Edu Expósito with a cross.
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Substitution, Barcelona. Franck Kessié replaces Pedri.
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Substitution, Espanyol. Edu Expósito replaces Nicolás Melamed.
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Attempt missed. Óscar Gil (Espanyol) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Adrià Pedrosa with a cross.
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Attempt blocked. Sergi Darder (Espanyol) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Nicolás Melamed.
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Substitution, Espanyol. Luka Koleosho replaces Brian Oliván.
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Attempt missed. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Sergio Busquets.
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Jordi Alba (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Jordi Alba (Barcelona).
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Nicolás Melamed (Espanyol) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Javier Puado (Espanyol) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Sergi Darder.
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Attempt missed. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Frenkie de Jong with a through ball.
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Attempt saved. Joselu (Espanyol) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Nicolás Melamed.
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Offside, Barcelona. Sergio Busquets tries a through ball, but Ousmane Dembélé is caught offside.
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Attempt saved. Joselu (Espanyol) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Adrià Pedrosa with a through ball.
