Barcelona have retained the La Liga title after Lionel Messi secures win over Levante.
Barcelona wrapped up their fourth La Liga title in five years after Lionel Messi made the perfect impact by scoring the winner against Levante on Saturday night. With the Spanish giants hosting Liverpool in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final this Wednesday, manager Ernesto Valverde opted to rest Messi.
But knowing they could retain their league crown if they secured the three points at Camp Nou, Valverde introduced the Argentine at the break as a replacement for the ineffective Philippe Coutinho. And the Barca superstar broke the deadlock just after the hour when he picked up Arturo Vidal’s header inside the box and curled a low shot past Aitor Fernandez. The hosts were dominant in the first half, with Coutinho hitting the woodwork but apart from that, the Brazilian endured a relatively quiet night.
It was his replacement who sealed the victory and ensured treble-chasing Barca remain on course for a memorable season. They go head-to-head with their Premier League rivals in Spain next Wednesday before the return leg takes place at Anfield the following Tuesday.
Valverde’s side are also in the Copa del Rey final, which sees them face top-flight rivals Valencia on May 25 . Ahead of the clash with relegation-threatened Levante, Valverde made clear his intention to secure the La Liga title as soon as possible so they can focus on their other trophy pursuits.
Speaking at a press conference, he said: “We want to be champions. It’s the game we have been waiting for all season. It’s special to be able to celebrate the title with the fans.” With the Champions League semi-final first leg against Liverpool on Wednesday, the Barcelona boss has been focusing on the importance of the league as a measure for the season as a whole.
Valverde added: “We place great value on the league title because it marks the season. In the league you have to be up to it at several moments and situation during the whole season if you want to be champions. The fact that our club has won so many in this space of time says a lot about how it’s taken on a day to day basis that’s the important thing and not just wait for anything to happen.”
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