WHAT HAPPENED?

Treble-chasing Barcelona are La Liga champions for the fifth time in seven years after a clinical Lionel Messi strike secured a 1-0 victory away to Atletico Madrid that wrapped up the title with a game to spare on Sunday.

Messi combined with Pedro Rodriguez and then slotted home from the centre of the penalty area with 65 minutes gone

Cristiano Ronaldo hit a record-extending 26th La Liga hat-trick for Real Madrid in their 4-1 victory away to Espanyol, but it was not enough: Barca cannot be caught now with a four point lead.

It had been a cagey game against Atletico but the talent of the Argentine shone through again to break the deadlock and help Luis Enrique to his first piece of silverware at the helm of Barcelona.

The Catalan side have dominated the list of La Liga titles in recent years and remain on course to repeat their trophy treble of 2009.

They are through to the Champions League final on June 6 to face Juventus and will play Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey showpiece on May 30.

THE REACTION

Luis Enrique (Barcelona ): "We have two more titles to win, but we have picked up the one for consistency. We started 10 months ago with many changes at the club which doesn't understand the idea of transition and was coming off a season having not won anything.

"There is no way that a trainer of a top club will not receive criticism during the year and I knew that. We knew that we wouldn't be given time but we did our best. A league season means effort over 38 games, so I would not pick out any moment. I like a lot how we played today, we had a chance to win the title in a ground it is very difficult to win.

"We deserved to win and we have finished off the campaign. In the end this is a very nice job as you get to make many cules very happy. We still have two trophies left to play for before putting mark on season. Real Madrid were at a great level, which makes winning this even more satisfying."

Sergio Busquets (Barcelona): "La Liga is the most important - we play against everyone home and away. The Champions League is more prestigious but this is more important. Last year we struggled a lot, we weren't at the right level to be champions. You can't win every year but there is no end to this cycle.

"We are a very young team - this is an historic day. This winning era hadn't ended. What Pep Guardiola started with [Lionel] Messi, Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta is still going. We have one title now and are two more wins away from a historic season."

Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid): "First of all to congratulate Barca, they deserved to be champions, above all for their superb second half of season. This is absolutely deserved. We can just congratulate them, they reacted very well from December. They have excellent players who can decide a game in any moment.

"They now have two chances to achieve the treble, which is something now in their own hands. In the moment when game was most under control, a piece of genius from Lionel appeared. Although it was also a defensive slip from us, but it was a great goal which made them more comfortable in the game. They then did not need to attack. Above all the image that we were competing, and just beaten by piece of genius from Messi."

(Eurosport)