Barcelona wins La Liga after El Clasico victory, fans take to the streets to celebrate

Barcelona, Spain – Draped in club flags, their faces painted blue and maroon, Barcelona fans Max Dour and his father Nico joined the thousands-strong crowd celebrating the La Liga title triumph under a blaze of flares at Plaza Catalunya, the capital of Catalonia.

At home, the footballing giant clinched its second consecutive Spanish league title after a 2-0 victory over archrivals Real Madrid in the most anticipated El Clasico of the season on Sunday (May 10).

The win was sweeter for Madrid's lackluster performance and the roaring support of tens of thousands of fans – known as cules – inside Camp Nou. The iconic stadium brimmed with anticipation for a victory fans believed was inevitable. They chanted “Campeones, campeones” throughout the match and after the final whistle.

On Monday afternoon (May 11), Barca fans are expected to flood the streets again as players parade on an open-top bus. “I promised my son that if the team won La Liga, we would come to the Canaletas fountain to celebrate, and here we are. What could be better than ending the season with the title?” said Max Dour, a businessman and season-ticket holder, alongside his 14-year-old son.

Traditionally, fans gather to celebrate at the Canaletas fountain at one end of Las Ramblas, but it was closed for repairs on Sunday. The tradition dates back to the 1930s, when Barcelona's main sports newspaper, Las Ramblas, posted team results on a blackboard there if they played away. Though the board and newspaper are long gone, the victory celebration tradition endures.

Dour, 50, praised the team's consistency throughout the season, calling it the key to their title win. “Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid seemed to only play well in certain matches,” he said.

The derby's appeal and the chance to see Barca crowned champions drew fans from around the world. Vance Sterling from Missouri, USA, flew in just for this match after saving $2,000 for a ticket. With azulgrana (blue and maroon) painted on his cheek, the 33-year-old said: “The trip was totally worth it. This is an amazing experience. Winning La Liga by beating Real Madrid at home – what could be better?”

Barca's win or Real Madrid's loss?

However, for some fans, the joy of winning La Liga came with a note of caution. Adrian Fabregat, another season-ticket holder, said: “Of course, it's great that we won the title, but it's strange – it doesn't feel as emotional or exciting as last year, Hansi Flick's first season. Maybe we're a bit obsessed with the UEFA Champions League. That's what Hansi says he's determined to win.”

Fabregat, 45, a computer technician and fan since 2004, believes Real Madrid's poor form helped Barca win the title. “They dropped points against teams they should never have drawn or lost to, and that helped us. We were more reliable. It's always great to win when Real Madrid doesn't win any other trophy.”

Flick has now won three major trophies in two years at Barcelona, including the Copa del Rey in 2025. In that same period, Madrid finished its second consecutive season without a major trophy. Madrid will now end a disappointing season, where Xabi Alonso was sacked and Alvaro Arbeloa is also expected to leave in a summer reshuffle.

Spanish football expert Graham Hunter believes the title does not mean a “good season” for the Catalan club. “Objectively, Barcelona regressed this season. They conceded in every Champions League match and were eliminated in the quarter-finals by city rivals Atletico Madrid, instead of the semi-finals last year. They were also knocked out of the Copa del Rey in the semi-finals. No matter the win rate or timing of the title, they didn't play better; in fact, they often played worse,” he told Al Jazeera.

However, Hunter noted two players shone under Flick: “Lamine Yamal was outstanding. He often carried the team. Without doubt, football-wise, he's a genius. Goalkeeper Joan Garcia performed extremely well.”

Hunter agrees Barca's win was linked to Real's poor form: “There's no denying that Real Madrid was chaotic and regularly 'dropped points' against smaller teams. Sacking the coach mid-season and seeing the replacement have a lower win rate is not a pretty picture. The two-horse race is always decided by the thoroughbred, not the Shetland pony.”

Alberto Martínez, football journalist for Barcelona-based La Vanguardia, said Flick and the players seized the opportunity from Madrid's crisis. “Barcelona's stability, with the coach and players, was key to their victory.”