Barcelona Clinch Back-to-Back La Liga Titles With Win Over Levante

?Barcelona officially sealed another La Liga title at Camp Nou on Saturday night, with Lionel Messi scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win over Levante.

After Atletico Madrid beat Real Valladolid earlier in the day, Barça knew that a home win was required to mathematically secure consecutive league crowns, ahead of their Champions League semi-final with Liverpool on Wednesday.

After leaving ?Messi out of the starting lineup in anticipation of the midweek clash, Ernesto Valverde was forced to call on the five-time Ballon d’Or winner in the second half.

Messi took 16 minutes to get his 34th league goal of the campaign, cutting back inside the area to take two defenders out of the game, before slotting past Aitor Fernandez to put Barcelona on course for their 26th La Liga title.

Fittingly, the goal also means Messi has now scored more goals (24) as a substitute in ?La Liga than any other player in the 21st century.

Barcelona now on 83 points, with three games to play, have lost only twice this season, last tasting defeat in a 4-3 thriller against Real Betis back in November.

Despite rotating to keep key players fresh for the Champions League, Barça have also won eight of their last ten in the league.

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Tip of the hat to Ernesto Valverde. Two league titles in two seasons and only three league games lost in that time. Wonderful achievement

— Jason Pettigrove (@jasonpettigrove) April 27, 2019

8th title in 11. ???????????????????????????????????????????????

— Emma Gabriel-Garcia (@emgabrielgarcia) April 27, 2019

In a first for Spanish football, Barcelona were presented with the trophy on the pitch after the game. Historically, the ceremony has taken place at the start of the following season much to many supporters’ annoyance.

Unsurprisingly, Messi – who celebrated his tenth La Liga title on the Camp Nou turf with his young children – has taken the lion’s share of the plaudits this season and is a shoo-in for the Pichichi (Spain’s award for the top scorer).

Serial winners Luis Suarez, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba have also impressed this season for Valverde’s side.

With league business sealed, Barça can now fully focus on winning the ?Champions League for the first time since 2015. The first leg of the semi-final on Wednesday is followed by a trip to Anfield on Tuesday 7 May.

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