The Game Turned Late
BARCELONA — Robert Lewandowski left Camp Nou the way he arrived: with goals, and with his teammates lifting him into the air.
Barcelona closed its La Liga home campaign with a 3-1 victory over Real Betis on Sunday, finishing 19 wins from 19 matches at the stadium that had become his living room for four seasons. The 37-year-old Polish striker, announced as departing the club on Saturday, bid an emotional farewell after scoring once in his final appearance.
The trophy did not need much decoration; the season had already done most of the talking.
"It has been an honor to play for this club," Lewandowski said. "We've enjoyed some great moments in these four years. I am very proud of everything we have achieved together. Today I say goodbye, but I will always carry Barcelona in my heart. Thank you so much, fans. Once a Barça fan, always a Barça fan."
Raphinha scored twice and João Cancelo added the other goal for Barcelona, which clinched its second straight league title two rounds ago. The Catalan club will finish the season with one home match remaining — a formality now, with the trophy already secured.
The Small Details Added Up
Lewandowski finishes his Barcelona tenure with 119 goals in 192 appearances, three La Liga titles in four seasons and one Copa del Rey. Those numbers do not need much decoration; they already do the talking.
Across Madrid, Antoine Griezmann also said goodbye to the Metropolitano crowd before his move to Major League Soccer. The 35-year-old French forward, Atletico's all-time leading scorer, apologized again to fans for having left for rival Barcelona years earlier.
"I didn't realize how much I loved you here," Griezmann said. "I was very young. I made a mistake, I reconsidered, and we did everything we could to come back and enjoy it again."
Atletico beat Girona 1-0 in his farewell match. Coach Diego Simeone praised what the forward leaves behind: "Griezmann is possibly the best one to have ever played here. He's an extraordinary guy, a genius. He's the most game-changing player that we've coached here."
The Table Looks Different
Elsewhere, Sevilla avoided relegation despite a 1-0 home loss to Real Madrid, with Vinícius Júnior scoring for the visitors. Kylian Mbappé started for Madrid three days after coach Álvaro Arbeloa publicly named him the team's fourth-choice striker — a curious detail for a player of his standing.
Alaves also guaranteed top-tier soccer next season with a win at already-relegated Oviedo. The relegation picture remains tight: five teams enter the final round with something to lose. Levante sits 15th on 42 points, level with 16th-place Osasuna and 17th-place Elche. Girona occupies the relegation zone on 40 points, ahead of Mallorca (39) and Oviedo (29).