Barca defeats Real, defends La Liga title

Two first-half goals from Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres secured a 2-0 victory for Barca against Real in round 35, clinching their 29th La Liga championship.

When the final whistle blew, Camp Nou celebrated not just an El Clasico victory, but also the return of an empire. The 29th La Liga championship was sealed in the sweetest possible way: defeating their arch-rival in front of tens of thousands of home fans to claim the title.

Players hoisted coach Hansi Flick, who, despite the pain of losing his father, chose to stay with the club rather than return to Germany for mourning. This victory extended Barca's lead to 14 points over Real, rendering the final three rounds a mere formality.

Barca players hoist coach Hansi Flick after their 2-0 victory against Real Madrid in round 35 of La Liga at Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain on 10/5. *Reuters*

The two teams entered this decisive match with contrasting fortunes. Barca was brimming with confidence, on the verge of claiming the title, while Real grappled with internal divisions. These included a scuffle between Valverde and Tchouameni, disagreements involving Dani Carvajal, Dani Ceballos, Raul Asencio with coach Alvaro Arbeloa, and unfavorable reports regarding Kylian Mbappe's attitude.

The on-field action reflected this context. Barca started enthusiastically, constantly threatening Real's goal. In the 9th minute, the visitors' net was breached. Ferran Torres was fouled just outside the box, earning Barca a free kick. From there, Rashford curled a magnificent shot into the top corner, beyond Thibaut Courtois' despairing dive.

Goalkeeper Courtois' frustration after conceding a goal in the Barca match. *Reuters*

Just 9 minutes later, Real was dealt another blow. Dani Olmo executed a skillful backheel pass, tearing through the visitors' defense. Torres then broke free to strike a diagonal shot, doubling the lead to 2-0. The Camp Nou stands erupted in euphoria.

The two early goals unsettled Real's players. Throughout the match, they managed 8 shots, but only one found the target, coming from Vinicius, who captained the team. In the 63rd minute, Jude Bellingham found the back of Barca's net, seemingly offering a glimmer of hope for Real. However, VAR intervened and disallowed the goal for an earlier offside. This decision extinguished the Royal club's final hopes.