Title homecoming awaits untouchable Barcelona

Saturday, 27 April 2019 00:24 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Barcelona's Carles Alena celebrates scoring their first goal with Lionel Messi REUTERS

BARCELONA (Reuters): Barcelona can clinch the Liga title with victory at home to relegation-threatened Levante on Saturday – the first step in what they hope will be a clean sweep of trophies this season.

Ernesto Valverde’s side are nine points clear of Atletico Madrid with each club having four games left and Barca, who have the better head-to-head record, could be champions before kick off at the Nou Camp if Atleti lose at home to Real Valladolid.

Should second-placed Atletico draw, a point against Levante would be enough for Barcelona to guarantee their 26th league title and eighth in 11 years.

Barca captain Lionel Messi will be able to lift the trophy in front of their supporters after Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales said the team would be handed the silverware on Saturday, instead of at their final home game of the campaign.

Messi will join a select group of players to have won 10 league titles with one club, while midfielder Arturo Vidal will collect an eighth consecutive title since 2012 after winning four championships with Juventus and three with Bayern Munich.

The Catalans began the season by winning the Spanish Super Cup and, assuming they win the league, could lift a third domestic trophy when they face Valencia in the Copa del Rey final on May 25.

The prize they covet most though is the Champions League, which Real Madrid have dominated in the last three seasons, especially with the final taking place in the Spanish capital.

Valverde can afford to rest players against Levante ahead of next week’s Champions League semi-final first leg at home to Liverpool, which will provide the high watermark of a season in which no-one has come close to challenging his side in La Liga.

Front-runners

Barca have led from the front since early December, when they crept ahead of Sevilla and Atletico as Real Madrid endured a nightmarish season and were not considered realistic title rivals until a burst of form in February.