BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Lamine Yamal donned the No. 10 jersey once worn by Lionel Messi and took another step forward in his path to global stardom by helping to lead Barcelona to a second straight Spanish league title.
Hansi Flick's side clinched Barcelona's 29th domestic title with three games left after a 2-0 win over rival Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday.
Yamal's Star Power
The 18-year-old Yamal leads Barcelona in both goals and assists for the first time, scoring 16 goals jointly with Ferran Torres and providing a competition-leading 11 assists in La Liga.
He also leads the league in dribbles with 133. While missing the final games of the season with a muscle injury, Yamal is set to star for Spain at the upcoming World Cup.
Beyond the numbers, his creativity with the ball and fancy footwork brought a contagious competitive attitude that never faded.
Midfield Dominance
Barcelona again had the top midfield and used it to crush the competition. The team led the 20-team division both in scoring and defense with 91 goals scored and just 31 conceded.
Fermín López was targeted by Chelsea in last summer's transfer window, but the 22-year-old stayed and emerged as a key player, scoring 13 goals and making nine assists.
Flick also found ways to endure a spate of muscle injuries that sidelined Yamal, Raphinha, Jules Koundé, Frenkie de Jong and other key players for several weeks at a time.
Group Effort in Attack
With Flick often using Robert Lewandowski as a substitute, the attack became a more collective effort. Striker Ferran Torres used his greater mobility to link up well with Yamal and has scored 16 league goals, three more than Lewandowski.
Marcus Rashford contributed eight goals — including the winner on Sunday — and several assists as he adapts well to Barcelona while on loan from Manchester United.
The club is reportedly looking to sign a striker this summer, putting the immediate future of both Lewandowski and Rashford in doubt.
— Joseph Wilson, The Associated Press