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Espanyol turn on sprinklers to dampen Barcelona’s La Liga title celebrations

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Barcelona clinched their 28th La Liga title in dramatic fashion with a 2-0 victory over Espanyol, with 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal once again proving to be the difference.

The win put Barcelona out of reach of arch-rivals Real Madrid in the standings, sealing the championship with two matches to spare.

Yamal broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute with a stunning curling finish that left Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia with no chance. It was a moment of individual brilliance from the teenager, who has been instrumental in Barcelona’s title run.

Later in the match, Fermin Lopez added a second to secure the win and put the result beyond doubt.

The game saw further drama when Espanyol were reduced to ten men following a straight red card shown to Leandro Cabrera for an elbow to Yamal’s stomach.

The dismissal left the hosts vulnerable, and Barcelona capitalized to close out the match.

At the final whistle, jubilant scenes unfolded as the Barcelona squad and coaching staff gathered at the center of the RCDE Stadium pitch to celebrate.

However, Espanyol appeared to try and spoil the moment by activating the stadium sprinklers during the celebrations. Instead of being dampened—literally or figuratively—Barça players laughed it off, dancing and singing in the water as they reveled in their success.

Head coach Hansi Flick was seen guiding his soaked players off the field and into the dressing room to continue the celebration privately. Speaking after the match, Flick expressed his relief and pride.

“Now I can enjoy myself. During matches I’m always under stress. I’ll be relaxed now,” said a smiling Flick. “I don’t think I have enough time to explain what I’m most proud of.

But what I can say is that we’ve built a true family here, one fueled by passion and the right mindset. That has made all the difference.”

The festive atmosphere was preceded by disturbing scenes outside the stadium, where a car reportedly plowed into a crowd of fans before kickoff.

According to local reports, there were fortunately no serious injuries. Authorities are currently working under the assumption that the incident was accidental, potentially caused by the driver losing control.

Barcelona will have an opportunity to celebrate their title with supporters on Sunday when they face Villarreal at home. That match will serve as a chance to thank fans for their support throughout the season.

The Catalan giants will close out their campaign against Athletic Bilbao, who themselves secured Champions League qualification with a 2-0 win over Getafe.

“We’re not finished yet,” Flick added. “There are still two games, and we want to end the season playing like champions. Sunday, we go again against Villarreal, then we finish with Athletic.”

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‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer

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‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer

Andre Onana could remain in Turkey beyond his loan spell, with Trabzonspor keen to secure him on a permanent deal.

The 30-year-old moved to Trabzonspor after falling out of favour at Manchester United, who brought in Senne Lammens last summer. Since then, Lammens has established himself as the club’s first-choice keeper, paving the way for Onana’s temporary switch.

In Turkey, however, Onana has rediscovered his form and quickly become a key figure. He recently grabbed attention with a standout performance in the Turkish Cup, saving three consecutive penalties to help his side overcome Samsunspor and reach the semi-finals.

The moment sparked widespread reactions online, especially from United supporters recalling their earlier penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town, where Onana managed just one save.

Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has openly expressed the club’s desire to keep the goalkeeper. He indicated that while Onana has his own career plans, the club would be eager to make the move permanent if the circumstances align, leaving the final decision in the player’s hands.

Back in England, United are expected to consider selling Onana, particularly with Lammens now firmly established as their number one. The club will likely aim to recover a significant portion of the £47.5 million they paid to sign him from Inter Milan in 2023, with two years still remaining on his contract.

Beyond his cup heroics, Onana has been a consistent presence in the league, starting every match for Trabzonspor and playing a vital role in their push for the title. His performances have earned strong praise in Turkey, with the club currently sitting third in the table, just six points behind leaders Galatasaray.

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Man City place Arsenal ‘bottles’ for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider

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Man City place Arsenal 'bottles' for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider

Manchester City appear to have kicked off the psychological battle ahead of their Premier League showdown with Arsenal.

In the build-up to the match, bottles branded with the Arsenal logo were reportedly being sold outside the stadium, priced cheaply and seemingly intended as a tongue-in-cheek way for home fans to mock the visiting supporters.

The stunt draws inspiration from a recent viral moment at Stamford Bridge, where a City fan was seen jokingly “drinking Arsenal tears” during their emphatic 3-0 win over Chelsea—a clip that quickly spread across social media.

With tensions already high given the importance of the fixture, the gesture adds another layer to the rivalry between the two sides. Arsenal, meanwhile, will be focused on responding where it matters most—on the pitch—as they aim to silence critics and deliver a strong result in what could be a defining game in the title race.

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Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho

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Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho

Alejandro Garnacho faced criticism from his former Manchester United teammates following Chelsea’s latest Premier League setback.

A first-half goal from Matheus Cunha secured a narrow but important win for United, strengthening the position of Michael Carrick’s side in the race for Champions League qualification. Chelsea, meanwhile, continue to struggle, with the defeat marking their fourth consecutive league loss without finding the net.

Pressure is mounting on head coach Liam Rosenior, who only took charge a few months ago after replacing Enzo Maresca. While the club has not publicly wavered in its support, questions are beginning to emerge over several players, including Garnacho, whose performances have failed to meet expectations since his £40 million move from Old Trafford.

Reports suggest Chelsea could be open to offers for the 21-year-old after a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge. He had an early opportunity to impress against his former side after coming on for the injured Estevao, but once again struggled to make an impact, finding it hard to break through a United defence that was missing several first-choice centre-backs.

Garnacho also received a hostile reception from United supporters during the match, and the reaction appeared to carry over beyond the pitch. After the game, Luke Shaw shared an image on social media showing himself standing over Garnacho following a challenge. Bruno Fernandes responded with a playful but pointed comment, while former teammate Alex Telles also joined in with reactions.

Chelsea’s broader struggles are becoming increasingly concerning. They now sit four points behind Liverpool in the race for fifth place, despite having played an extra game. The current run—four straight league defeats without scoring—is their worst in nearly three decades, with an even longer drought not seen since 1912.

Across all competitions, the form is equally worrying, with six losses in their last seven matches and 16 goals conceded during that stretch. A significant portion of their recent goals have come in a single outing against Port Vale, highlighting their lack of consistency in front of goal.

After the match, Rosenior admitted uncertainty about what failing to qualify for the Champions League could mean for his future. He acknowledged the result was difficult to take, especially given that Chelsea created numerous chances but failed to convert them. He pointed out that United capitalised on a limited opportunity, while his side were unable to make their attacking pressure count.

Despite the frustration, Rosenior emphasized the need for continued effort and improvement, insisting that the team must find a way to turn their form around before the situation worsens further.

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