Madrid – Barcelona celebrated their 22nd Spanish league title with a noisy parade through the streets of the Catalan capital.
Around 500,000 fans lined the streets of Barcelona late Monday to see Lionel Messi and company parade past on a blue-and-red painted bus.
Barca clinched the title Saturday when second-placed Real Madrid were held 1-1 at Espanyol, a result which left them seven points behind Barca with just two games left.
Messi and company then extends this lead to 10 points by beating third-placed Atletico Madrid Sunday. However, Messi aggravated his hamstring injury in that win and will probably not play in Barca's remaining matches.
Without Messi – who is league top scorer with 46 goals – Barca will be trying to win their last three games in order to equal the record of 100 points in a season established a year ago by Real Madrid. – Sapa-dpa