**Title Defense Complete: Barça Clinches Title in Clásico – Flick Mourns His Father**
FC Barcelona secured the LaLiga title with a 2-0 (2-0) victory over archrivals Real Madrid in the Clásico. The Catalan side made their title defense perfect with three matchdays to spare. The Royal Whites trail as second-placed contenders, sitting 14 points behind Barça. The win was dedicated to the father of coach Hansi Flick, who passed away just hours before the match on Sunday. A minute of silence was observed before kickoff.
**Match Overview and Standings from LaLiga Matchday 35**
The champions, both old and new, top the table with 91 points — a feat achieved by only three other teams after 35 matchdays. Real Madrid remain second with 77 points. Marcus Rashford put Barça ahead in the 9th minute with a magnificent free kick from 17 meters into the left corner. Ferran Torres doubled the lead just nine minutes later, paving an early path to the title triumph.
The Royal Whites, who had recently made headlines for off-field issues, were forced to line up without superstar Kylian Mbappé. The Frenchman had only returned to training in recent days after a thigh injury. Without their top scorer, the team around German international Antonio Rüdiger had no chance.
**Real in Chaos: Mbappé Offside, Friction Between Valverde and Tchouaméni**
A few hours before the final whistle, the Catalans announced that Flick’s father had passed away. “FC Barcelona and the entire Blaugrana family wish to express our condolences to Hansi Flick on the passing of his father. We share your pain and stand by you and your family in this difficult moment,” the club communicated via its social media channels.
**Minute of Silence for Flick’s Father Before Barcelona’s Title Match**
Despite the emotional burden, Flick chose to stand on the sideline for the top LaLiga clash. Both teams took the field at Camp Nou wearing black armbands. A moment of remembrance for Flick’s father was held before the match.
For FC Barcelona, this marks their 29th league title overall, and for Flick, his fourth in a domestic league. He won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich in 2020 and 2021, and now two consecutive Spanish league titles with Barça. In contrast, Real Madrid, led by coach Álvaro Arbeloa, will end this season without a trophy — a season in which the 36-time Spanish champion had parted ways early with former Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso.
