Barcelona pummel Espanyol in derby to clinch first LaLiga title since Messi exit

Barcelona players celebrate Robert Lewandowski's goal at Espanyol on the day they won LaLiga in May 2023.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Barcelona beat Espanyol 4-2 in the derby on Sunday night to clinch their first LaLiga title in four years and a first since Lionel Messi left the club in 2021.

Xavi's side needed just two points to clinch the title, which meant a win at the RCDE Stadium would seal their 27th LaLiga crown and Robert Lewandowski scored twice either side of an Alejandro Balde effort as the Blaugrana went three goals up before half-time.

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Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is the Weekend Editor of FourFourTwo. A European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.