Barca thrash Espanyol, Atletico crash out of title race

The Catalan club thrashed Espanyol 5-0 with Messi getting one in, Suarez got a brace with Rafinha and Neymar getting one a piece.

Current champions Barca hammered city rivals Espanyol 5-0 while Real edged Valencia 3-2 to rack up their 11th straight league win. I never saw an end to the season as tight as this when I was a player.

With next week being the title-deciding weekend, leaders Barcelona travel to 16th-placed Granada; Real Madrid – a point behind – are away at Deportivo La Coruna and Atletico Madrid, now out of the running, have pride to play for against fifth-placed Celta Vigo. This is the greatness of football, that a team comes from playing the Champions League semi-final and loses. The goal was chalked out after the flag was raised for offside but with two Espanyol players down and appearing to play Barca’s goal on, it looked a harsh call.

According to Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique the Spanish La Liga is better than both the English Premier League, the Italian Serie A and German Bundesliga.

“I am filled with joy that the team is competing with the top two with just a match left to finish the championship”.

Barca’s post-Clasico wobble is now well and truly behind them and they were on their way after eight minutes when Messi – who had won the free-kick himself – curled a magnificent effort into the top corner.

Madrid shrugged off the absences of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric through injury to move above Atletico for the first time in 2016 with victory over Valencia.

However, Atleti’s six-match winning Liga run came to an end and they are now three points adrift of Barca with an inferior head-to-head record, meaning Diego Simeone’s men can not regain the title they won in 2014.

Fernando Torres had given Atletico the ideal start with the opening goal inside two minutes, but Simeone’s men seemed to suffer from the aftereffects of sealing their place in the UEFA Champions League last week, as goals from Victor Casadesus and former Manchester United forward Giuseppe Rossi mathematically ended Atletico’s title chances.

However, they had to wait until seven minutes into the second half for the second as Messi teed up Suarez to fire high past Pau Lopez.

We’re defending better on the long ball.

However, fellow relegation battlers Getafe and Sporting Gijon – who are level on points – played out a 1-1 draw to keep Rayo in with a chance.