Barcelona's high-risk strategy vindicated in the short term with La Liga title

The celebration had been four years in waiting, the longest Barcelona’s captain Sergio Busquets has ever been delayed between Liga titles.

But the initial rituals of joy would be rushed. Busquet’s ninth Spanish league, achieved on Sunday night with the comfortable margin of four matches to spare, ended with him hurriedly retreating his teammates from the pitch, festivities interrupted by an invasion not from Barcelona fans but those of Espanyol, at whose stadium Barca’s 4-2 win confirmed Spain's new champions.

Espanyol, the second club in a city where the bigger neighbour casts a giant shadow, are in deep trouble, relegation leering at them, and for around 100 of their fans, the sight of Barca players making a wide, dancing circle, hand in hand, in the middle of the field pushed them to anger.

Police and stewards prevented direct confrontations as players sprinted towards the dressing rooms. After one or two chairs and plastic barricades were thrown the Espanyol supporters turned their rage into chanted demands that their club’s directors resign.

The episode passed. It was almost as if Barca had forgotten local protocol by lording their glee too long in front of disgruntled rivals. “The euphoria is to be expected,” said Xavi, the Barcelona head coach, “but we weren’t at home and so needed to get to the dressing room. I said to the players it was time to come in, but you can’t always control the reactions.”

It was the only mild criticism Xavi directed towards his squad, praising their endeavours through a campaign of challenges off and on the field. Many could be forgiven for not reading the mood in the Cornella arena, which had turned more and more silent as Barca outclassed Espanyol, 3-0 up by half-time, 4-0 ahead by