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Barcelona have won LaLiga in the best way possible, keeping a clean sheet in a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid. It's the 29th LaLiga title that the club has ever lifted, which still trails Real Madrid's 36, but it's also the second consecutive title that Barcelona have won under Hansi Flick. Being able to win the league and dominate their rivals at the same time is a sweet moment for Barca, and they left no doubt.
Marcus Rashford opened the scoring with an unbelievable free kick before Ferran Torres scored to put the match out of sight only 18 minutes in. Real Madrid were toothless during the match and never put up much of a fight, as the only time that they had the ball in the back of the net via Jude Bellingham, it was ruled out due to being offside.
Capping off a week where there was fighting in the Real Madrid dressing room and when manager Alvaro Arbeloa's time in charge of the club could be coming to an end, this Clasico showed the gap that exists between these two squads. Barcelona were able to get the job done, supporting Flick and holding a moment of silence following the death of his father early on Sunday morning.
Not able to celebrate winning the title last season at the Camp Nou due to the stadium undergoing renovations, this is a title that is quite meaningful for Flick and the club, especially being able to clinch it in this way over their rivals. The power has shifted in LaLiga to Barcelona, with them currently leading by 14 points, and if they win out, they could also earn 100 points on the season while also managing injuries.
Lamine Yamal wasn't available for this match as the young winger is out for the remainder of the season due to injury, although he's still expected to represent Spain at the World Cup. Raphinha also made his own return to the pitch after injuring his hamstring in early April. Flick has been able to balance all of that while still leading his team to the league title. While Barcelona will have wanted to do better in Copa Del Rey and Champions League play, it's not easy to win back-to-back titles, so this is still an occasion to celebrate.
Big decisions on the horizon
With Robert Lewandowski set to leave at the end of the season and Rashford only on loan from Manchester United, Barcelona will have upcoming decisions to make to ensure that they can win three consecutive LaLiga titles. They've had to manage financial instability to register players, and while moving back into the Camp Nou will help finances by being able to sell more tickets in a larger venue, it's unknown exactly what kind of players that Barcelona will be able to recruit, but as they chase a Champions League title, more will be needed. Flick has brought stability to the club, and this was a week that showed that, in comparison to facing Real Madrid and even playing home games in three different stadiums this season. He was able to lead the club to an unbeaten 18 wins in 18 home matches.
Decisions will also need to be made at Real Madrid, where a petition to get Kylian Mbappe out of the club is growing despite his scoring prowess. As Barcelona get further ahead in LaLiga, the pressure on Real Madrid rises, especially as club president Florentino Perez will make swift decisions if needed. Rumors of a Jose Mourinho return to the club swirl, but it's clear that something isn't right in Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti was able to unite the squad and keep things under wraps, but those issues have bubbled up despite the depth. Mbappe's arrival was supposed to signal a Madrid era of dominance, but that has yet to arrive at this stage. It can still come in the future, but who the next manager is will be so important because the only dominance has been coming from Barcelona instead of their rivals.
Barcelona has even opened an era of dominance in Clasicos, winning six of the last seven matches against Real Madrid, and Yamal has now won more LaLiga titles than Cristiano Ronaldo despite only being 18. Yamal has lifted the league title three times, while Ronaldo only did it twice. It's a stat that doesn't feel real, but it's also one that shows that Barcelona probably haven't reached the peak of their powers. Seven players age 25 or younger started this Clasico for Barcelona, and with more time under Flick, they're all improving at a rapid rate. This team didn't even have Raphinha or Yamal in the starting XI but had no issues toppling their rivals as they look capable of remaining at the top while Real aim to become competitive once again.
