Barcelona need just one more point to clinch their third straight Spanish
league title after a 2-0 Catalan derby defeat of Espanyol on
Sunday.
Spain World Cup heroes Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique scored for
Barca, who are eight points ahead of Real Madrid with just three matches
left.
On Saturday, Real enjoyed a 6-2 romp away to Sevilla, with league
top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo banging in four goals.
Before the Catalan
derby there was an emotional minute's silence for golf legend Severiano
Ballesteros, a keen Barca fan, who died on Saturday, aged 54.
Iniesta put
Barca ahead in the 29th minute by taking advantage of a mistake from Javi Lopez,
and then beating Carlos Kameni with a low near-post dive.
David Villa, in
poor form, should have extended Barca's lead on three occasions but missed each
time.
Three minutes into the second half Pique made it 2-0 by heading in
a Xavi centre from the left, after getting in front of defender Raul
Rodriguez.
Barca never allowed Espanyol to come out of their defensive
shell, enjoying their usual 75-per-cent possession, and could have scored more
goals at the end.
The defeat leaves Espanyol in eighth place, with their
dreams of snatching a Europa League berth in tatters.
Sunday's late game
was due to bring together relegation strugglers Zaragoza and
Osasuna.
Sunday's lunchtime match was a colourless 0-0 draw between
midtable Mallorca and fourth-placed Villarreal, which leaves the yellows five
points behind Valencia in the battle for third place and direct entry to the
Champions League.