Barcelona sealed the LaLiga title with a 2-0 win over archrival Real Madrid in the Clásico, making their title defense perfect three matchdays before the end of the season. The Catalans now hold a 14-point lead over the second-placed Madrid side. The victory was dedicated to the father of coach Hansi Flick, who passed away just hours before the match. A minute of silence was observed prior to kickoff.
Marcus Rashford opened the scoring in the 9th minute with a brilliant free-kick from 17 meters into the left corner. Ferran Torres doubled the lead nine minutes later, effectively sealing the win early on. Real Madrid, who have recently made headlines for off-field issues, were without star forward Kylian Mbappé due to a hamstring injury. Without their top scorer, the team led by German international Antonio Rüdiger had no answer.
Earlier Sunday, Barcelona announced Flick’s father had died. “FC Barcelona and the entire Blaugrana family want to express our condolences to Hansi Flick for the loss of his father. We share your pain and stand by you and your family in this difficult moment,” the club said on social media. Flick chose to manage from the sidelines despite the emotional strain. Both teams wore black armbands, and a minute of remembrance was held before the game.
This is Barcelona’s 29th league title overall and Flick’s fourth national league championship. He won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich in 2020 and 2021, and now back-to-back LaLiga crowns with Barça. In contrast, Real Madrid, who parted ways with former Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso earlier in the season, will finish the campaign without a trophy.
