Messi goal clinches Barcelona’s 5th Spanigh league title in 7 years
Lionel Messi scored in the 65th minute, and Barcelona clinched its fifth Spanish league title in seven seasons with a 1-0 win over defending Spanish champion Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Messi scored off a passing combination with Pedro Rodriguez, who started because star striker Luis Suarez was hurt.
Messi has 54 goals in all competitions this season, including 41 in the Spanish league. Messi, Neymar (37) and Suarez (24) have combined to score 115 goals this season.
Barcelona (30-4-3) has won the Spanish league title 23 times. The Catalan club is looking to make history by becoming the first European team to win two “trebles” (league title, cup title, and continental title in the same season).
Barcelona hosts Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final on May 30 and meet Italian champions Juventus in the Champions League final on June 6 in Berlin.
Barcelona secured a treble under former coach Pep Guardiola in 2009 when it won the Spanish league title, the Copa del Rey final, and the UEFA Champions League final.
The Champions League final is considered by many to be Europe’s Super Bowl.
Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid (29-6-2) will finish second despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s 30th club hat trick in a 4-1 win at Espanyol. Ronaldo has 58 goals this season, including 45 in the Spanish league.
