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Messi goal gives Barca the Spanish League title

Xinhua, May 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

FC Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 in the Vicente Calderon Stadium on Sunday evening to be crowned as this season's BBVA Primera Liga Champions.

Leo Messi scored the second half goal after an exchange of passes with Pedro Rodriguez to ensure that second place Real Madrid can no longer catch them in the race for the title.

Barca were without the injured Luis Suarez with Pedro Rodriguez starting in what was otherwise Barca's strongest starting 11, while Atletico Madrid also fielded their strongest available side with Antoine Griezmann and Fernando Torres leading the line.

Barca made nearly all of the running in the first half and should have had a penalty after Juanfran Torres handled Messi's shot, while Messi was unlucky to see a free kick rattle the Atletico crossbar and Dani Alves saw a pile-driving shot well saved by Jan Oblak.

Despite Barca being in control the result was in the balance until the 65th minute when Messi produced his piece of magic, sprinting, exchanging passes with Pedro and then leaving Oblak no option with his shot.

There were 25 long minutes to endure, but Barca were able to control the ball with relative ease as Atletico's long season began to take its toll and if any side was going to score in the closing minutes it was the Calalans who at the final whistle erupted into celebrations for a title that is well deserved.

Barca's win rendered Real Madrid's triumph away to Espanyol irrelevant, although Ancelotti will be proud of the character his side showed after a difficult week.

The first half saw Real Madrid ook below par, although they had the best chance in the first 45 minutes when Cristiano Ronaldo headed into the side netting.

Espanyol meanwhile looked aggressive and compact, although too often they were let down by a wayward final pass.

Ronaldo did put Real ahead just before the hour with a left foot shot after being set up by Karim Benzema, but Christian Stauni equalized with 15 minutes remaining after he forced a dreadful mistake from Madrid keeper, Kaylor Navas.

Marcelo restored Real Madrid's lead with 13 minutes left on the clock and Ronaldo added a third as he netted his 44th goal of the season.

He finished his hat-trick in injury time, but it was probably the bitterest hat-trick of his career as his three goals were eventually worth nothing, while Messi's single strike was worth the league. Endi