BARCELONA PLAYER RATINGS: Marc-Andre Ter Stegen – 7. Turned into a star fish to block a 45th minute shot from former teammate Braithwaite. Chipped by Puardo for the Espanyol goal and a 92nd minute second, meaning he’s conceded 13 goals in Barcelona’s 35 league games. Though not a clean sheet, he’ll win the Zamora award for being the best goalkeeper. The next best defence, Atletico Madrid, has conceded 27. EPA
BARCELONA PLAYER RATINGS: Marc-Andre Ter Stegen – 7. Turned into a star fish to block a 45th minute shot from former teammate Braithwaite. Chipped by Puardo for the Espanyol goal and a 92nd minute second, meaning he’s conceded 13 goals in Barcelona’s 35 league games. Though not a clean sheet, he’ll win the Zamora award for being the best goalkeeper. The next best defence, Atletico Madrid, has conceded 27. EPA
Jules Kounde – 8. Booked in the second minute. Shot wide from distance on 25, but then managed his first goal for the club to make it 4-0, flicking in a ball from De Jong. Reuters
Jules Kounde – 8. Booked in the second minute. Shot wide from distance on 25, but then managed his first goal for the club to make it 4-0, flicking in a ball from De Jong. Reuters
Ronald Araujo – 8. Dyed his hair in Barcelona’s colours and hit an exceptional long ball towards Balde to set up the opening goal. Braithwaite was quick, Araujo quicker. AFP
Ronald Araujo – 8. Dyed his hair in Barcelona’s colours and hit an exceptional long ball towards Balde to set up the opening goal. Braithwaite was quick, Araujo quicker. AFP
Andreas Christensen – 8. Super signing and his partnership with Balde on the left of the defence has been a major reason in Barcelona having by far the best defence in La Liga. Left the pitch limping. Reuters
Andreas Christensen – 8. Super signing and his partnership with Balde on the left of the defence has been a major reason in Barcelona having by far the best defence in La Liga. Left the pitch limping. Reuters
Alejandro Balde – 9. Ran past two Espanyol defenders and crossed for the opening goal, before scoring himself, turning the ball in at the back post on 20. His first ever goal for Barcelona and he did well to lose his man to score it. Stunning first season proper for the full back, 19. AFP
Alejandro Balde – 9. Ran past two Espanyol defenders and crossed for the opening goal, before scoring himself, turning the ball in at the back post on 20. His first ever goal for Barcelona and he did well to lose his man to score it. Stunning first season proper for the full back, 19. AFP
Frenkie De Jong – 8. Set the move for the second goal in motion. Sublime ball to Kounde for the fourth as Barcelona won their 27th league title. He could have left last summer, he chose to stay and has had his best season since. AFP
Frenkie De Jong – 8. Set the move for the second goal in motion. Sublime ball to Kounde for the fourth as Barcelona won their 27th league title. He could have left last summer, he chose to stay and has had his best season since. AFP
Sergio Busquets – 8. Playing out his final games as a Barcelona player after a stellar career at the club in which he’s now won nine league titles. Barcelona haven’t lost to Espanyol in 25 derbies. EPA
Sergio Busquets – 8. Playing out his final games as a Barcelona player after a stellar career at the club in which he’s now won nine league titles. Barcelona haven’t lost to Espanyol in 25 derbies. EPA
Pedri – 7. Crossed to Balde at the back post to score the second – his first assist of the season. A surprise stat for such an influential player. Getty
Pedri – 7. Crossed to Balde at the back post to score the second – his first assist of the season. A surprise stat for such an influential player. Getty
Raphinha – 7. Barca’s second top scorer, his fantastic ball with his weaker foot to set up Lewandowski for the third as Barcelona demolished their city rivals. AFP
Raphinha – 7. Barca’s second top scorer, his fantastic ball with his weaker foot to set up Lewandowski for the third as Barcelona demolished their city rivals. AFP
Robert Lewandowski – 9. Scored his 20th league goal of an impressive first season in Spain, beating his man to stab the ball in. Scored his second and Barcelona’s third on 39, becoming the first Barca player to score two in the first half away from home since Patrick Kluivert in 2003. Getty
Robert Lewandowski – 9. Scored his 20th league goal of an impressive first season in Spain, beating his man to stab the ball in. Scored his second and Barcelona’s third on 39, becoming the first Barca player to score two in the first half away from home since Patrick Kluivert in 2003. Getty
Gavi – 7. Played in more games this season than any other Barcelona player. Booked – when he didn’t appear to do anything - and will miss the next game against Real Sociedad at Camp Nou. EPA
Gavi – 7. Played in more games this season than any other Barcelona player. Booked – when he didn’t appear to do anything - and will miss the next game against Real Sociedad at Camp Nou. EPA
SUBS: Ousmane Dembele (Raphinha 62’) – 7. Sent a shot past the far post on 75. Tried to set up Lewandowski for his hat-trick. Getty
SUBS: Ousmane Dembele (Raphinha 62’) – 7. Sent a shot past the far post on 75. Tried to set up Lewandowski for his hat-trick. Getty
Jordi Alba (Araujo 62’) – 7. Booked soon after coming on. Getty
Jordi Alba (Araujo 62’) – 7. Booked soon after coming on. Getty
Marcos Alonso (Christensen 74’) – N/A. Celebrated with his club at the end – until they were chased off the field by Espanyol fans. Getty
Marcos Alonso (Christensen 74’) – N/A. Celebrated with his club at the end – until they were chased off the field by Espanyol fans. Getty
Ansu Fati (Gavi 75’) – N/A. Getty
Ansu Fati (Gavi 75’) – N/A. Getty

Sport

Football

Barcelona player ratings v Espanyol: Lewandowski 9, Busquets 8, Pedri 7

Catalans clinch first La Liga title in four years after a 4-2 win over their city rivals at RCDE Stadium

Andy Mitten
Andy Mitten

May 15, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

Barcelona claimed their 27th La Liga title and first for four years on Sunday after two first-half goals from Robert Lewandowski spurred them to a 4-2 victory over city rivals Espanyol.

Barca moved to 85 points from 34 matches and extended their lead to an unassailable 14 points over second-placed Real Madrid.

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There was little time for jubilation, however, as the visitors had to quickly rush off the pitch after fulltime as several Espanyol fans invaded the field as Barca started to celebrate their title.

Barca were the superior side against lowly Espanyol, who are second from bottom and fighting to avoid relegation, and opened the scoring early with a close-range strike by Lewandowski.

Alejandro Balde, who put it on a plate for Lewandowski's opener, scored Barca's second with a tap-in from a Pedri cross in the 20th minute.

Lewandowski extended Barca's lead five minutes before the break with another close-range finish from a Raphinha cross.

Defender Jules Kounde headed in Barca's fourth in the 53rd minute, before Javi Puado and Joselu scored consolation goals for Espanyol.

Barcelona have won 27 of their 34 games this season, with their title charge built largely on their outstanding defence, which has conceded a measly 13 goals, by far the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues.

At home, their defensive numbers are even more impressive with only two goals conceded, one from a penalty and the other an own goal.

They are the second highest scorers in the division, having bagged 64 goals, with La Liga's leading marksman this season Lewandowski netting 21, four more than Real's Karim Benzema.

Check out the photo gallery above for Andy Mitten's Barcelona player ratings from the RCDE Stadium. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or swipe if using a mobile device.

On Women's Day
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Tomorrow 2021
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here

Innotech Profile

Date started: 2013

Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari

Based: Muscat, Oman

Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies

Size: 15 full-time employees

Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing 

Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now. 

HAJJAN
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Astroworld
Travis Scott
Grand Hustle/Epic/Cactus Jack

Specs

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Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

How has net migration to UK changed?

The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.

It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.

The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.

The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.

Cinco in numbers

Dh3.7 million

The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown

46

The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.

1,000

The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]

50

How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday

3,000

The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

1.1 million

The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.

On Women's Day
Kareem Shaheen on Canada
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The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

Scorecard:

England 458 & 119/1 (51.0 ov)

South Africa 361

England lead by 216 runs with 9 wickets remaining

Updated: May 15, 2023, 6:10 AM`
Robert LewandowskiBarcelonaLa Liga