Barcelona moved to the brink of another La Liga title after late goals from Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres secured a 2-1 victory over Osasuna on Saturday.ย The win pushed Barcelona 14 points clear of Real Madrid with just four matches remaining. Madrid must beat Espanyol on Sunday to delay Barcelonaโs title celebrations. If Madrid wins, the race will extend into next week, when Barcelona hosts its rivals in a decisive Clasico clash.
Lewandowski broke the deadlock in the 81st minute, rising to powerfully head in a precise cross from substitute Marcus Rashford. The late breakthrough triggered a quick surge, with Torres doubling the lead five minutes later. Osasuna pulled one back in the 89th minute through a header by Raรบl Garcรญa, but it came too late to change the outcome.
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid picked up a 2-0 win at Valencia despite resting several key players ahead of their crucial Champions League semifinal second leg against Arsenal. With injuries and fitness concerns affecting Juliรกn รlvarez, Alexander Sorloth, and Giuliano Simeone, coach Diego Simeone opted to rotate heavily.
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The gamble paid off as two debutants, Iker Luque and Miguel Cubo, scored in the second half โ in the 73rd and 82nd minutes โ to seal the victory at Mestalla. Defender Nahuel Molina nearly produced a spectacular goal earlier, striking from near midfield only to see his effort hit the frame of the goal.
Atletico stayed fourth in the standings, maintaining its position for Champions League qualification next season, while Valencia remained 13th and still at risk of slipping into a relegation fight.
The match also marked a major milestone for Simeone, who reached 1,000 games as a coach โ 795 of those with Atletico since taking charge in 2011. Meanwhile, Ernesto Valverde celebrated his 500th game in charge of Athletic Bilbao with a 4-2 win over Alaves, highlighted by a brace from Nico Williams. Both milestones set club records.
In another result, Villarreal secured a top-four finish and a place in next seasonโs Champions League with an emphatic 5-1 win over Levante. Georges Mikautadze led the charge with two goals as Villarreal confirmed its place among Europeโs elite for the second consecutive year.
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