Madrid: FC Barcelona won its second straight Spanish league title and 18th overall on Wednesday, claiming the crown when Mallorca beat final challenger Valencia 2-1.
Barcelona players began celebrating at halftime of their game at Celta Vigo and went on to toast their success with a 1-0 win courtesy of a 55th-minute goal by Samuel Eto'o.
The Cameroon striker controlled Mark Van Bommel's pass and evaded two defenders before scoring his 25th goal of the season.
"This league has a better taste than last year's because it's very hard to win titles back-to back," Eto'o told news agency Efe. "We value this league very highly because we have worked really hard all through the season and yes, for more than two years."
Dancing Barcelona players embraced and sang ''champions, champions'' after the final whistle blew at Celta's Balaidos stadium.
The results left Barcelona, which has three games left, with an unassailable 11-point lead over Valencia, which has only two matches remaining.
Coach Frank Rijkaard's team has 79 points, while Valencia has 68. Real Madrid, which like Barcelona has played 35 games, has 66.
The league title moved Barcelona closer to repeating its 1992 feat, when it won both the Spanish and European Champions Cup crown. It meets Arsenal for the continental championship in Paris on May 17.
"We've managed one of our two objectives and we're very happy. It's important to enjoy it. We deserve it and so do the club's members," Rijkaard said.
Barcelona was also the last Spanish team to win consecutive league titles, in 1998 and 1999, when the coach was another Dutchman, Louis van Gaal.
Barcelona supporters sang and lit flares in celebrations at the city's downtown Canaletes avenue as soon as the Valencia result was known.
Valencia's defeat ended a five-match winning streak and gave Real Madrid the chance to move into second place if it wins at Racing Santander on Thursday.
In another game, Inaki Munoz scored a 16th-minute goal and Osasuna edged Atletico Madrid 1-0, taking a big stride toward a European Champions League debut next season.
Sevilla, which will play for the UEFA Cup next week against Middlesbrough, strengthened its chances of returning to the competition next season with a comfortable win over Getafe.
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