Messi delivers 23rd Liga title for Barca

Arsenal stays ahead of United in CL race; City ensures place in the continental championship

May 18, 2015 03:41 am | Updated 03:41 am IST - MADRID:

Lionel Messi scored the goal that clinched the Spanish league title for Barcelona on Sunday, securing a 1-0 win at dethroned champion Atletico Madrid.

Messi slotted in the decisive goal in the 65th minute after working a sublime one-two passing combination with Pedro Rodriguez, who started for the injured Luis Suarez.

It was the Catalan club’s 23rd league crown and its seventh in the last 11 years.

Real Madrid will finish runner-up despite Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a hat trick in a 4-1 win at Espanyol. It trails Barcelona by four points with one round left.

Meanwhile in the Premier League, Arsenal stayed ahead of Manchester United in the race to qualify directly for next season’s Champions League when it drew 1-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday while Manchester City made sure of its place in the group stage with a 4-2 win at Swansea City.

United is now left hoping Arsenal slips up in its last two home games so it can catch them, finish third and avoid a playoff for a place in Europe’s top club competition.

The results: EPL: Manchester United 1 (Herrera 30) drew with Arsenal 1 (Blackett 82-og); Swansea 2 (Sigurdsson 45, Gomis 64) lost to Manchester City 4 (Toure 21, 74, Milner 36, Bony 90).

Serie A:On Sunday: Sassuolo 3 (Berardi 13, 31, 77) bt AC Milan 2 (Bonaventura 33, Alex 51); Atalanta 1 (Pinilla 18-pen) lost to Genoa 4 (Pavoletti 30, Bertolacci 57, Falque 61, 73); Cagliari 0 lost to Palermo 1 (Vazquez 9); Verona 2 (Moras 24, Sala 67) bt Empoli 1 (Saponara); Torino 2 (Lopez 51, 69) bt Chievo 0.

On Saturday: Inter Milan 1 (Icardi 9) lost to Juventus 2 (Marchisio 42-pen, Morata 83); Sampdoria 0 lost to Lazio 1 (Gentiletti 54).

La Liga: Valencia 1 (Otamendi 71) drew with Celta Vigo 1 (Pablo Hernandez 8); Villarreal 2 (Gerard 82, 87) bt Malaga 1 (Darder 90); Elche 2 (Jonathas 32, 45) lost to Athletic Club 3 (Aketxe 80, San Jose 87, Inaki Williams 90+2); Deportivo Coruna 2 (Alberto Lopo 21, Juanfran 79) bt Levante 0; Atletico Madrid 0 lost to Barcelona 1 (Messi 65); Real Sociedad 0 lost to Granada CF 3 (el Arabi 74, Ibanez 79, Rochina 88); Cordoba 1 (Luso 57) lost to Rayo Vallecano 2 (Baena 21, Adrian Embarba Blazquez 78); Espanyol 1 (Stuani 73) lost to Real Madrid 4 (Ronaldo 59, 83, 90+1, Marcelo 79); Sevilla 2 (Iborra 65, 70) bt Almeria 1 (Bifouma 30); Getafe 1 (Hinestroza Arias 33) drew with Eibar 1 (Borja 36). — Agencies

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