Despite a season full of tumult and controversy, Barcelona has returned to the peak of Spanish soccer’s summit.
After going three full seasons without a league title, the club’s longest title drought since the turn of the century, Barcelona was crowned La Liga champion Sunday after a 4–1 win over regional rival Espanyol.
The club’s 27th Spanish title was clinched with four games remaining after a season of league dominance, which saw Barça’s hold on first place extend back to the first week of November. Under former star midfielder Xavi, Barcelona lost only three league matches all season.
The start of Barcelona’s season was defined by its dire financial situation, which was a major factor in the departure of Lionel Messi in the summer of 2021. The club was forced to sell off multiple assets, including a percentage of its television rights to help pay down its massive debt, which had reached 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) and reduced player salaries.
Yet Barça still spent €158 million in the transfer market, which included the acquisition of leading scorer Robert Lewandowski, while the club also relied on its recent strategy of attracting stars on free transfers.
Barcelona’s trophy haul this season extends to the Supercopa, but its European campaign was doomed from the start. Barcelona was bounced from the Copa del Rey in the semifinals by Real Madrid, shockingly dropped out of the Champions League group stage and lost to Manchester United in the Europa League round of 32.
The future of Barcelona remains hazy. Midway through the season, captain Gerard Piqué abruptly announced his retirement while longtime midfielder Sergio Busquets last week announced he would leave the club at the end of the season. One thing is certain: The upcoming summer will dominated by rumors of Messi’s return.
