Xavi Hernandez Reacts To Winning First La Liga Title With Barcelona As Manager.

Barcelona wins the LaLiga title for first time since 2018-19 season (under Ernesto Valverde).

A comfortable 4-2 victory over the relegation-threatened hosts at the RCDE Stadium means Xavi Hernandez's side are 14 points clear of Real Madrid in second and 16 ahead of third-placed Atletico Madrid with four games of the season remaining which is an impressive feat.

The home side desperately needed points in their battle against relegation, while the visitors knew a victory would clinch the league title.

Goal machine Robert Lewandowski scored twice in the 11th and 40th minutes, with young left-back Alejandro Balde scoring in-between the Polish star's brace in the 20th minute, before Jules Kounde rapped up the scoring for the visitors in the 53rd minute.

Javi Puado and Joselu pulled two goals back for Espanyol in the 73rd minute, and 90+2 minute but it merely served as consolatory goals, as it was too little too late for the local rivals. 

Barcelona have conceded only 13 goals in 34 games, far fewer than any other side.

The win for the Catalan giants means they cruised to their 27th league win of the campaign, only Real Madrid have more titles (35).

Having beaten Carlo Ancelotti's men to win the Spanish Super Cup in January, Barcelona dethrones rivals Real Madrid , as they already have 85 points, when last season they could only muster 73. Los Blancos, in contrast, ended the season with 86, a number Barca will surely surpass this time around.

Despite not officially getting the trophy after the game, the players celebrated their victory on the pitch in front of a surprising amount of Espanyol fans who had remained in the stadium to watch till the end.

However, their celebrations in the centre circle were later cut short when a number of home fans invaded from the stands launching objects and sought to attack the Blaugrana players.

Xavi's men had to flee the field for safety, with police and stewards holding the supporters back.

🤬 IMATGE INACCEPTABLE

🤦‍♂️ Els ultres de l'Espanyol salten al terreny de joc contra els jugadors del Barça#GolaGolE3
▶ https://t.co/NBIRTYeO8S pic.twitter.com/SAOALXeGac

— Gol a gol (@GolagolE3) May 14, 2023

Meanwhile, Espanyol stay 19th after suffering back-to-back defeats, and are three points adrift of Getafe and four of Valladolid and Cadiz. 

With four games left to determine their fate, their next game is a trip to Rayo Vallecano before they welcome Atletico Madrid at RCDE Stadium. Their final two games will see them play fellow strugglers Valencia and Almeria, potentially with everything on the line. 

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez and his men didn’t just win La Liga, they conquered Spain with a ruthless consistency reminiscent of the days of old.

Xavi won eight as a player with Barca and now this first one as a manager since his appointment in November 2021.

Only Lionel Messi (10) and Andres Iniesta (nine) have won as many La Liga titles with Barcelona as Sergio Busquets (nine).

It will be Busquets' first and last as captain. He's leaving the club at the end of the season.

🔥 HERE WE GO! 🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/KgXlP2vo7L

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 15, 2023

 Speaking after the game coach Xavi said: "It's a magnificent feeling, a feeling of job well done.

"This is important to give the club's project some stability. The league title shows that things have been done the right way and that we have to stay on this path.

"It's not Xavi's league, it's Barça's league, of a team that is growing, beginning a new era and the players have been vital, I'm just here to guide them.

"And also thanks to the work of the president and the club, who made a great effort, and Mateu and Jordi, who have done a great job too."

On the pitch invasion by the home fans, he added: "What happened at the end? It was better to celebrate inside the dressing room, out of respect for the rival, but we shouldn't give it any importance."