Now it is just a matter of time for Barcelona.
The Catalan club are on the brink of another La Liga title after beating Deportivo Alaves 2-0 on Tuesday to move within three points of clinching the championship, and that was with Lionel Messi staying on the bench until after both goals had been scored.
The celebrations for a second consecutive league trophy — and eighth in 11 seasons — could even start as early as yesterday if Atletico Madrid lose at home against fifth-place Valencia.
If not, a win against relegation-threatened Levante UD at home on Saturday would also secure Barcelona a 26th league title.
“It doesn’t matter when it happens,” coach Ernesto Valverde said.
“We just want to win it whenever we can, because we know it’s very hard to win this league,” he added.
Carles Alena and and Luis Suarez scored goals six minutes apart after halftime to leave Barcelona 12 points ahead of Atletico.
If Diego Simeone’s side fail to earn at least a draw, the would not be able to catch Barcelona in the final four matches, because they would lose to the Catalan club on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
“We’ll see what happens in Atletico’s match,” Alena said.
“I would like to win it on Saturday at home so we can celebrate with our fans, but if it happens tomorrow, it will be welcome as well,” he added.
Messi entered the game in the 61st minute to replace Ousmane Dembele.
It was the third time in seven matches that Valverde rested the Argentine playmaker, who also started on the bench in a 4-4 draw against Villarreal and missed the team’s 0-0 draw against relegation-threatened Sociedad Deportiva Huesca.
Barcelona were coming off difficult victories against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League and Real Sociedad in La Liga, with Messi playing from the start in both matches.
Barcelona are to travel to face Liverpool in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals next week.
Other regular starters rested by Valverde on Tuesday included midfielder Arthur, central defender Clement Lenglet and leftback Jordi Alba.
Alena opened the scoring with a low shot from inside the area in the 54th after Suarez helped set him up by letting Sergi Roberto’s pass go through his legs.
Suarez sealed the victory by converting a 60th-minute penalty following a handball confirmed by video assistant referee review.
The result extended Barcelona’s unbeaten streak to 21 matches in all competitions.
They have not lost in the league since November last year, when they fell 4-3 to Real Betis Balompie at home.
Alaves, winless in six consecutive matches, stayed eighth in the standings.
Real Valladolid took a step toward escaping relegation with a 1-0 home win against Girona, who are also trying to avoid demotion.
Owned by former Brazil striker Ronaldo, Valladolid moved to 15th in the standings with the victory, one point from safety with four matches remaining.
Michel scored the winner with a shot from outside the area in the 67th minute, ending his team’s five-match winless streak.
Girona, who have lost six in a row, dropped to 17th, just outside the relegation zone, which is currently occupied by Levante, Huesca and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid.
Huesca left the bottom of the table for the first time since the seventh round by beating Sociedad Deportiva Eibar 2-0 at home with two remarkable second-half goals.
Enric Gallego opened the scoring with a back-heel touch in the 54th minute at Estadio El Alcoraz and Chimy Avila added to the lead three minutes later with a spectacular volley off a corner-kick, striking a powerful first-timer from just inside the area.
The victory moved Huesca past Rayo Vallecano to 19th place in the 20-team standings, five points from safety.
Playing in the first division for the first time, Huesca had drawn four straight and had not won in seven games.
It was the third loss in four matches for Eibar, who stayed 13th.
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