GRANADA, MAY 14 : Barcelona are champions for the sixth time in eight years after Luis Suárez scored a hat-trick to defeat Granada 3-0 on the final day. There were four minutes left when he got the third, rolling in Neymar’s assist to take him to 40 goals for the season and his team to the title. He, Messi and Neymar embraced along with the rest of the side, champions again. When they did it again at the final whistle, supporters sprinted on to the pitch to join in. The Champions League evaded them this year but, with a Copa del Rey final to come, they may still finish with a double.
Ultimately, it seemed so easy, but the end of this season said otherwise. The very fact that Barcelona had to win here did, in fact. They knew that a victory would guarantee them a title that most had thought was already secure six weeks ago but they also knew that the slightest slip and it would be Real Madrid who became champions, with them cast as the team that threw it away. Their response was emphatic, from Suárez especially. Five wins in five took them over the line.
The last stop took them to Granada and Madrid to La Coruña to face Deportivo, two teams with nothing to play for against two teams with everything to play for and no room for errors. A win would be necessary Barça knew, and any lingering doubt here was removed after just seven minutes, when Cristiano Ronaldo put Madrid 1-0 up and temporarily top 1,009km away, while there was a brief reminder of the risk a minute later when a ball over the top enabled Youssef El Arabi to sprint beyond them, only to scuff his shot.
But Luis Enrique’s side were not keen to waste time, nor allow nerves to take hold. No concessions were made; the ball was theirs and so were the chances. Gerard Piqué’s header had already been pushed away by Andrés Fernández and then Neymar lifted over the keeper and over the bar, forcing a corner from which Fernández again saved from Piqué. Then, on 23 minutes, Barcelona beautifully made the opening goal, laying one hand on a trophy. Figuratively, at least; it won’t actually be given to them until the start of next season.
Javier Mascherano, Andrés Iniesta, Jordi Alba, and Neymar made it, a neat give and go from the latter pair leaving the full back dashing into the area and pulling back for Suárez to nudge in a simple finish for his 38th goal of the season. He is one of only five players ever to reach that figure, but was soon beyond it. Up in La Coruña, Ronaldo had made it 2-0; 13 minutes later, down in Granada so did the Uruguayan.
Alves somehow reached Mascherano’s long diagonal ball, turning it inside first time, where Suárez was steaming in at the near post to head home, nudging him to his second league title; where there had been tears at Crystal Palace, there would be celebrations at Los Cármenes. Perhaps Madrid realised that too; up in Galicia, Ronaldo was removed at half time, the title over for another season and, on 35, his bid to be top scorer too. Suárez made it to 40, the first time the top scorer has not been either Ronaldo or Messi since 2009.
The second half brought the hint of a match. Carlos Penaranda took the baffling decision to dive when he looked like he might have a chance and then Marc-Andre Ter Stegen saved from Fran Rico as the Granada midfielder found himself clear on the edge of the area. There was intent about Granada now, a willingness to go forward, while tackles came too. They would continue, and there was a mass confrontation as well, but Barcelona reasserted themselves.
Suárez created for Neymar, whose shot was saved, then Fernández cut out another Alves ball. There were still 25 minutes left and a Granada goal would alter everything, but it was Barcelona who got it. And it was Suárez again. Up in the stands, their fans dared to sing “campeones” for the first time. No one had expected them to have to wait until the final day to do so, but they are there now.