WATCH Highlights: Barcelona Wins 2016 La Liga Title With Suarez Hat-Trick - What’s Next for Messi and Company? [VIDEO]
Barcelona's La Liga title, their 24th in club history, was inevitable.
The defending champs held off Real Madrid for months, stumbling through April before notching four straight victories ahead of Saturday's showdown with Granada. At the end of the day, one point separated the rivals with The Catalans holding the advantage.
Luis Suarez ensured it would stay that way with a hat-trick en route to Barça's 3-0 victory at Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes.
Suarez Takes Over
Suarez first golazo came in the 21st minute on a cross from Jordi Alba. The second was a header, redirected after Dani Alves made a stellar pass near the end line. His last goal - his 40th of the season - came on an 85th-minute tap from Neymar.
GOOOOOOAAAL!!!@FCBarcelona back on TOP OF @LaLiga! It's @LuisSuarez9 with goal that is worth a title. #LaLiga https://t.co/HsKm7A4eL1
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) May 14, 2016
GOOOOOAAAAL!!!@LuisSuarez9 may very well have secured title with this header. 0-2 @FCBarcelona. #LaLiga https://t.co/GB3zHrQ6dR — beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) May 14, 2016
GOOOOAAAALL! And there it is!!! @LuisSuarez9 with a hat-trick and @FCBarcelona with its 24th @LaLiga title. #LaLiga https://t.co/XMWiwr9qys — beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) May 14, 2016
The Uruguayan striker netted 14 goal over the last five contests. Not only did he win the Golden Boot, Suarez ensure someone not named Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo would carry the Pichichi for the first time since 2009.
Barça won eight La Liga titles since the 2004-05 season, each coming with Messi at the helm. Winning on the final day of the season is nothing new for the Spanish soccer club, as they did so three consecutive years from 1992 to 1994.
Ironically, each of those was by a single point, and each came over Real Madrid.
And there it is. @FcBarcelona your new @LaLiga Champions of 2015/2016 season. #LaLiga https://t.co/5xYSKMS0ZD — beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) May 14, 2016
CHAMPIONS!!! #CampionsFCB #fcblive pic.twitter.com/ontggmXuy7
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 14, 2016
Video Highlights - Suarez's Hat-Trick
What's Next for Barça?
Barcelona can wine one more trophy this season before players go their separate way in preparation for Olympic and Copa America Tournaments.
It plays Sevilla in the Copa del Rey final next Sunday. Losing in the Champions League quarterfinal motivate Messi to win the season's two remaining tournaments, if only to one-up Real Madrid.
"It would be great to end the season winning them both," Messi told ESPN Deportes. "It also would have been great to have been in the Champions League final but it wasn't to be. So winning two of three would be spectacular."
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