Author Topic: Barcelona wins 3rd straight La Liga title (Read 1931 times)

Jhanda_Amli · « **on:** May 11, 2011, 09:43:14 PM »

Barcelona clinched its third straight Spanish league title on Wednesday with a 1-1 draw at Levante.
Seydou Keita headed home Xavi Hernandez's pass to put Barcelona ahead in the 28th minute, only to see Levante striker Felipe Caicedo level the score in the 40th after a mistake by Gerard Pique.
"Each league title has been tough to win," Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said. "Now it is time to enjoy it."
It was Barcelona's fifth league crown in seven seasons and 21st in its 111-year history. Real Madrid will finish runner-up for the third consecutive season.
With the domestic competition wrapped up with two games remaining, Barcelona can now turn its full attention to preparing for the Champions League final against Manchester United on May 28 at London's Wembley Stadium.
"It is a very important day for all our fans," said Keita. "Now we have to think in the final of the Champions League, which is also a very important game to win for this club."
Barcelona now has doubly fond memories of the Ciutat de Valencia ground.
In 2005, a Barcelona side then managed by Frank Rijkaard drew 1-1 thanks to Samuel Eto'o's second-half equalizer to seal its first league title in five years. That championship launched a run of successes that has included two Champions League trophies, five Spanish league titles, one Club World Cup and a Copa del Rey.
Seven years later, Barcelona still maintains five players from that same squad: Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol and Victor Valdes.Well-earned pointLevante remained undefeated in nine straight home games and the well-earned point boosted its chances of staying up.
Fullback Eric Abidal returned to the starting 11 for Barcelona for the first time since recovering from surgery to remove a liver tumour, while Keita and Dutch international Ibrahim Afellay got the nod over regular starters Andres Iniesta and Pedro Rodriguez.
As they have done against almost every opponent this season, Barcelona dominated the possession of the ball from the opening whistle.
Levante took seven minutes to cross the halfway line, but once it did the Spanish minnow dared to threaten the defending champions area with strikes by Francisco Nadal and ex-Barcelona youth product Xavi Torres.
Barcelona appeared to miss Pedro's speed and Iniesta's dribbling early on as it failed to penetrate Levante's defence. But Xavi soon picked out Keita charging forward with a perfectly placed long pass that the Mali midfielder expertly redirected into the top left corner of the net.
Barcelona had the contest under control when defender Gerard Pique completely miskicked an attempted clearance and gifted Caicedo the ball in the area for the Ecuadorean international to fire past goalkeeper Valdes for his 13th goal of the season.
Messi made a spectacular effort to wiggle through four Levante defenders in the 58th, but his stabbed shot hit the post.
Abidal was applauded by the entire stadium when he was replaced by Andreu Fontas midway through the second half.
Messi again came within inches of the winner after slaloming by a trio of defenders in the 72nd, but from then on neither team threatened as both were content to split the points.
Barcelona spent the last 10 minutes passing the ball back and forth — just like during the draw in 2005 — as its fans cheered "Champions! Champions!" in the stands.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2011/05/11/sp-barcelona.html#ixzz1M69stQ3C

Author Topic: Barcelona wins 3rd straight La Liga title (Read 1931 times)

Jhanda_Amli

Barcelona wins 3rd straight La Liga title

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