Hansi Flick lauds 'unique' bond as Barcelona seal La Liga title

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick credited the family spirit prevailing in the club for helping secure the La Liga title.

The Catalan club wrapped up their 28th Spanish title on Thursday night with a 2-0 win at Espanyol to complete a domestic treble, following Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup victories.

"I think the most important thing is... it's really fantastic that everyone at this club has their job and they're doing it with a lot of passion, a really good attitude and mentality, and everyone knows how important they are," Flick said.

"This helps a lot to reach our goals, and of course the players and the atmosphere in the dressing room, this is so great, I never had this before.

"Everyone really takes care of each other and... it's unique."

Barcelona will celebrate their title triumph with a bus parade on Friday but didn't on the pitch at Espanyol after an incident in 2023.

When Xavi Hernandez's Barca won the title at the RCDE Stadium they were chased off the pitch by angry home fans who rushed towards them.

"On the pitch it was clear we could not celebrate there... two years ago (there was trouble)," Flick continued.

"It's also about respect for the fans here, (so) of course we celebrated in the dressing room, fantastic, the players could do that, really good.

"Tomorrow I will stand a little bit in the background and I also will enjoy it. When I see the people are happy and smiling I will enjoy it."

A stunning Lamine Yamal strike helped seal the title for Barcelona with a 2-0 win at local rivals Espanyol.

Yamal's effort and Fermin Lopez's goal took Barca seven points clear of Real Madrid.

Only the Champions League eluded an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years.

Yamal opened the scoring after 53 minutes of a tense derby clash with a brilliant curling effort, before Lopez added another in the 95th minute to secure victory.

Outside the stadium before the match several Espanyol fans were hit by a car which drove into a big crowd, although none were seriously injured and police said it appeared to be an accident.

Flick's side started slowly in Cornella, with Espanyol, 16th, looking dangerous on the counter-attack and keen to secure their top-flight survival.

Wojciech Szczesny made a fine save to deny Javi Puado who broke through on goal in Espanyol's best chance of the opening period.

Barca dominated the ball but failed to create any clear opportunities themselves in the first half.

The Catalan giants have often blown teams away this season, approaching a century of goals in La Liga, but with the title on the line and a hostile crowd against them, they needed something special to break through.

That came from 17-year-old wing wizard Yamal, who zipped inside off the right flank and unleashed a rocket into the top corner from outside the box, in a replica of his goal for Spain against France in the Euro 2024 semi-finals.

It was the teenager's eighth La Liga strike of the season but with goals in both matches against rivals Real and also in the visit to face Atletico Madrid, he has a penchant for the big occasion.

Flick praised teenage sensation Yamal but insisted that Barcelona are much more than just the 17-year-old winger.

"It's Barcelona's LaLiga. It's not about one player, of course Lamine has been important, but we are a team and that's the most important thing. The team as a whole," Flick said.

"Everyone has done their job very well. We are a team. This is what we wanted. We have given the best version for this club. All the fans can be proud.

"Lamine has already scored more goals like this. He trains every day that same move, but today was just a perfect goal."