The Game Turned Late
Barcelona finished a flawless campaign at Camp Nou — 19 wins from 19 La Liga matches — after a 3-1 victory over Real Betis on Sunday, marking Robert Lewandowski's emotional farewell.
The 37-year-old striker, departing after four seasons, scored in his final appearance. He finishes with 119 goals in 192 appearances for the club. His teammates tossed him skyward in celebration as he walked toward the locker room, with the squad lining up to applaud him.
"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."
Lewandowski departs with three La Liga titles and one Copa del Rey. The Catalan club had clinched its second straight league crown two rounds earlier.
The Small Details Added Up
Antoine Griezmann also said goodbye to Atletico Madrid fans at the Metropolitano before his move to Major League Soccer. Atletico beat Girona 1-0, and the 35-year-old French forward apologized again for having left for Barcelona years ago.
"I didn't realize how much I loved you here," Griezmann told the crowd. "I made a mistake, I reconsidered, and we did everything we could to come back and enjoy it again."
Coach Diego Simeone praised his departing star: "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."
Real Madrid secured a 1-0 win at Sevilla, with Vinícius Júnior scoring. Kylian Mbappé started for Madrid three days after saying coach Álvaro Arbeloa had made him the team's fourth-choice striker. It was his return from an injury layoff.
The Table Looks Different
Sevilla survived the relegation fight despite the loss, with other results going their way. Alaves also guaranteed top-tier soccer next season with a 1-0 win at already-relegated Oviedo.
Five teams enter the final round facing relegation: Levante, Osasuna, Elche, Girona and Mallorca. Levante moved closer to safety with a 2-0 win over Mallorca and sits 15th with 42 points — the same total as 16th-place Osasuna and 17th-place Elche.
The record needed no decoration; it already did the talking.