BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Worn by Ramin Yamal. Uniform number 10 Once worn by Lionel Messi, Barcelona 2nd consecutive Spanish league victory.
Yamal, 18, missed the final game of the season due to injury. muscle damageis scheduled to star for Spain in the next match world cup And now, for the first time, he leads Barcelona in both goals and assists.
Hansi Flick’s side beat rivals Real Madrid 2-0 at Camp Nou on Sunday to clinch Barcelona’s 29th domestic title with three games remaining.
Although Barcelona lacked the overwhelming attacking power needed to win the 2024-2025 title, they had enough firepower to take advantage of Madrid’s repeated missteps, which would end their season for the second consecutive year. without a big title Since the arrival of Kylian Mbappé.
Here, let’s take a closer look at how Barcelona won La Liga again.
Yamal takes the lead
Since making his debut at the age of 15, Yamal has put in one scintillating performance after another, earning him the privilege of being considered as Barcelona’s successor to the one and only Messi.
Despite missing several games due to injury, Yamal is Barcelona’s leading scorer in La Liga (16 goals combined with Ferran Torres) and the competition’s highest number of assists with 11.
He also leads the league in dribbles with 133.
This improved ability helped compensate for Rafinha’s absence during the Brazilian forward’s two-time injury layoff, as well as the reduced role of veteran striker Robert Lewandowski, who lost his first-choice status at 37 years old.
Beyond the numbers, his creativity with the ball, and his fancy footwork, Yamal displayed a contagious competitive attitude that never faded.
Pedri and Fermin set the pace
Barcelona once again secured the top spot in midfield and used it to crush the competition.
They led the 20-team division in both scoring and defense with 91 points and 31 goals conceded.
Pedri González is only 23 years old, but he plays like a veteran, setting the pace and providing important passes to the forwards in the style of former Barcelona and Spain star Xavi Hernández.
Fermin Lopez was targeted by Chelsea in last summer’s transfer window, but the 22-year-old stayed and has emerged as a key player for Flick. Fermin had 13 goals and nine assists.
Fill in the gaps with a flick
Flick figured out how to compensate for the loss of his most physical defender after Iñigo Martinez left for the Saudi league in the offseason. Few would have imagined that Gerard Martin, a young left-back who struggled at times in previous seasons, would eventually blossom into a central defender alongside Pau Kvarsi, who had an excellent season as the anchor of the backline at the age of 19.
Flick has also found a way to withstand a spate of muscle injuries that have kept key players such as Yamal, Rafinha, Jules Kounde and Frenkie de Jong sidelined for weeks.
The arrival of keeper João Garcia gave the goal momentum and the whole club a boost. Return to the partially renovated Camp Nou After playing in a small stadium for two years
Group effort in attack
Manager Flick often used Lewandowski as a substitute, and the attack became more collective.
Striker Ferran Torres took advantage of his excellent mobility and worked well with Yamal and others, scoring 16 goals in the league, three more than Lewandowski. Marcus Rashford has adapted well to Barcelona while on loan from Manchester United, contributing eight goals and several assists, including Sunday’s goal.
However, the immediate futures of Lewandowski and Rashford are in doubt, with the club reportedly considering signing a striker this summer.
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