Barcelona have been crowned Primera Division champions for the third consecutive season after securing a 1-1 draw with Levante this evening in Valencia.
The Camp Nou giants required just a single point from their final three fixtures in order to top the pile in La Liga once again, and achieved their target at the first attempt thanks to a stunning Seydou Keita header. Felipe Caicedo levelled for the hosts, but the party had already begun for Pep Guardiola and his players.
The Barca supporters in attendance, in addition to the gathering masses in Catalunya, waited expectantly for their team to make the breakthrough so that the title celebrations could commence.
After a patient early spell, the visitors opened the scoring with a glorious goal and settled the nerves of the watching Cules.
Xavi collected the ball on the right flank, and drifted an inch-perfect delivery into the area to meet the run of Keita, who threw himself full-length to head the ball home from just inside the box.
The midfielder's strike should have represented an opening of the floodgates, with the champions-in-waiting expressing themselves, but Levante have been in superb form in the second half of the campaign, and drew level before the interval.
However, their effort owed much to the dreadful defending of Gerard Pique, who with Felipe Caicedo at his back attempted to hook the ball clear, but woefully sliced his kick, allowing the Ecuadorian striker to round Victor Valdes and slide home.
Barca were quickly out of the blocks in the second-half, with the interval cut short by the eager visitors' desire to seal the point they needed.
Messi was once again at the heart of their attacking play. Before the hour mark he produced a mesmerising run that sliced through the home back line, but as Munua approached, his placed shot rebounded from the inside of the post, and dramatically rolled to safety.
The Argentine then went on another dribble, but this time his effort was deflected and rolled agonisingly wide of the target.
Barca knew the job was done, though, and retained possession, and energy in the closing stages, counting down the seconds until their efforts across the campaign could be rewarded.
The whistle eventually came, to a resounding chorus of 'Champions' from the stands, and the Catalans could rejoice in another record-breaking season. Their next target is now Manchester United, in the Champions League final on May 28.
Source: Goal.com
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