Barcelona defeats Atletico to win La Liga title

Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday May 17, 2015. (Paul White/AP)

BARCELONA, Spain — Lionel Messi scored the goal that clinched the Spanish league title for Barcelona on Sunday, securing a 1-0 win at dethroned champion Atletico Madrid.

Messi slotted in the decisive goal in the 65th minute after working a sublime one-two passing combination with Pedro Rodriguez, who started for the injured Luis Suarez.

It was the Catalan club’s 23rd league crown and its seventh in the last 11 years.

Barcelona can now focus the final of the Champions League and the Copa del Rey as it aims for a treble of trophies.

Real Madrid will finish runner-up despite Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a hat trick in a 4-1 win at Espanyol. It trails Barcelona by four points with one round left.

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