Barcelona won the Spanish La Liga title on the weekend, with a 1-0 win against previous holders Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon. Title-rivals Real Madrid ran them somewhat close, winning their game against Espanyol, which meant Barcelona had to match their result to seal the league crown, but ultimately the title was only going to go one way after Real slipped up against Valencia earlier in the month.
Manager Luis Enrique is also still on to win the treble, with Barcelona having a Copa Del Rey final (against Athletic Bilbao) and a Champions League final (against Juventus) to come this season, so the Spanish coach could well be on course to make history. But as for their domestic antics, there was a lot of work to do last season following their failure to secure a major trophy under predecessor “Tata” Martino.
His unattractive playing style imposed upon the Spaniards ultimately saw them falling short in the major competitions, and changes had to be made. Enrique has restored the club to their former glory, and utilising their best player on the pitch – Lionel Messi. The talented Argentina typically scored the winning goal against Atletico Madrid on the weekend that sealed the league title, claiming his seventh La Liga crown.
Barcelona are the undisputed kings of Spain, winning five titles in the last seven seasons. Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid have temporarily snatched it off them, but the Catalan giants have been the most consistent by some distance. Seven league crowns in the last decade shows just how dominant they have been for a long time, and still no side looks capable of catching them.
They lost the crown last season on the final day by failing to beat eventual champions Atletico Madrid, and when they relinquished the crown in 2011/12, they still amassed 91 points in a 38-game season, losing just three times. Barcelona have been praised for how difficult they are now to play against, with many pundits giving praise to manager Luis Enrique for changing the system to make the Catalans a more efficient team to get results, while sacrificing some of the flair they showcased under the likes of Pep Guardiola between 2008 and 2012.
“Luis Enrique has brought something else to this team. Previously, teams had found a way to play against Barcelona and they struggled to win games and titles. Barcelona are now a more complete team and, while they don’t have the romance of Pep’s team, in general, it is a more practical and better team,” said former Barcelona midfielder Gaizka Mendieta.
