La Liga belongs to Barcelona again. Hereâs how they did the double | Sid Lowe
Change of culture came under fire amid mid-season slump but blend of youth and experience proved unstoppable Way after midnight and visiting hours had long since finished but they had only just got started and they werenât going to leave the patient with appendicitis lying there alone, not at a time like this. So Pedri GonzĂĄlez, Dani Olmo, Iñigo MartĂnez and Eric GarcĂa rented four city bikes and cycled up Avinguda Diagonal in the dark. They had been out to Cornella and come back with the league, double done. They had gone to the training ground at Sant Joan DespĂ, belting through Bad Moon Rising from the balcony with the fans below. Now they were heading to the hospital to share the moment with Ferran Torres, recently out of emergency surgery and watching from the ward as he became a champion like them. At the end of the game that finally won the title, a campaign concluded with victories over Real Madrid first and Espanyol four days later, just about as good as it gets, the first thing Hansi Flick was asked was what he was most proud of. âPfff,â the coach replied. âI donât think we have time for this âŠâ There was so much, which is why there was a long pause before he finally said: âThe most important thing is you feel like a family. The atmosphere in the dressing room is so great; Iâve never seen this before. They really take care of each other.â And which was why when he was asked whose league this was â Lamine Yamalâs? His â he replied: âBarcelonaâs. This is not about one guy.â Continue reading...
