Barcelona have completed the domestic treble after their 2–0 win over Espanyol crowned them champions of La Liga for the 28th time in their history.
Predictably, it was teenage superstar Lamine Yamal who secured the title with a tremendous curling effort that arced into the top corner of Joan Garcia’s goal, before Fermin Lopez added a second deep in stoppage time to start the celebrations.
Barça have clinched their last two league titles in the home of their intercity rivals, having secured the 2022–23 title at RCDE Stadium as well.
Real Madrid secured a dramatic comeback win vs. Mallorca on Wednesday to delay Barcelona’s celebrations. However, with only six points left to play for, Los Blancos can’t overcome the points gap to Barça in the standings, thus ending the team’s league title-defense in what’s been a disappointing season for the previous champions.
The exact opposite is true for Barcelona. After defeating Real Madrid in El Clásico on May 11, they became the first side in the history of the rivalry to win four Clásicos in a single term en route to a perfect record in the season series between the two Spanish giants. The victory also essentially ended the La Liga title race, with Barcelona going seven points clear with nine left to play for after last weekend’s result.
It’s been a phenomenal debut season for Hansi Flick as Barcelona manager. The La Liga trophy will join the Copa Del Rey and Spanish Super Cup trophies in Barça’s cabinet as the exclamation point of the club’s return to prominence during 2024–25. It’s the first domestic treble in Spanish soccer in 36 years.
Barcelona have been far and away the best team in La Liga this season. Outside of stumbling during the final two months of 2024, the Catalans have been near flawless in La Liga. Barça are undefeated in La Liga since the turn of the year, with a record of 15 wins, two draws and no losses in 17 games during the second half of the season.
The attacking might of Flick’s Barça is the main reason for their league success. Barcelona’s 97 goals so far are the most by any side in a La Liga season since Ernesto Valverde’s Barça scored 99 in 2017–18. No team across Europe’s top five leagues have scored more goals than the Catalans and this Barça team is already in the top five best goalscoring sides in club history with 168 goals in all competitions.
With two emphatic league victories over Real Madrid, the Catalans deservedly dethroned Los Blancos. The 2024–25 La Liga trophy will be detailed with Blaugrana colored strings.
Plans are already in motion at Barcelona to reinforce the squad that completed the first domestic treblein club history. One area Barça decision makers want to address is the front line, specifically targeting a player that can ease the creative and goalscoring burden of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.
In the aftermath of Barcelona’s 4–3 victory over Real Madrid in the final El Clásico of the season, sporting director Deco spoke to ESPNand admitted that he felt that at times this season, Barcelona were too dependent on Yamal and Raphinha.
“Sometimes we can feel to dependent on Lamine [Yamal] and Raphinha. Maybe we need to bring in similar players, a solution for them,“ Deco said.
The former Barcelona player and Portugal international isn’t wrong on his assessment considering the two starting wingers have scored or assisted 102 of Barça’s 171 goals across all competitions in 2024–25. The pair are also in the top three for most minutes played for the Catalans this season.
Especially in the home-stretch of the campaign, when 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski started struggling for fitness and form, Barcelona became increasingly reliant on what Yamal and Raphinha could create and convert in the final third.
The solution? Barcelona are reportedly exploring the market in search of wingers that can also play as strikers if needed, similar to what Raphinha and super-sub Ferran Torres have done this season.
A Mundo Deportivo report indicates a player Barcelona are following closely is Liverpool’sLuis Díaz. The Colombian is a traditional left winger but has played as a striker for the majority of 2024-25 with the Reds. The 28-year-old contributed with 13 goals and five assists to Liverpool’s Premier Leaguetitle-winning season.
Another alternative that’s been widely reported is Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford. After falling out with manager Ruben Amorim, Rashford spent the second half of the season on loan at Aston Villa. The writing’s on the wall for United to move on from Rashford permanently this summer, with Barcelona a possible destination.
Whether it’s Díaz, Rashford or another quality winger, Barcelona look set to reinforce what’s been the most potent attack in Europe’s top five leagues during 2024–25 for next season.
