Barcelona reign in Spain b rankle with continued Eur

Messi hat-trick leads Catalans to seventh La Liga title in the last 10 years

While Barcelona rubberstamped a decade of domestic dominance by clinching the La Liga title on Sunday in dramatic circumstances, there is an inescapable feeling that their feats have been upstaged by Real Madrid’s continued success in Europe.

Barca beat Deportivo La Coruna 4-2 in a thrilling game with a hattrick from Lionel Messi to claim a seventh La Liga title in the last 10 years, which also sealed a fourth league and Cup double in the same period.

Yet Real’s achievements in the Champions League, where the Catalans have exited at the quarterfinal stage in the last three seasons, have forced Barca to cede the limelight to their arch-rivals.

Although Barca, still unbeaten in the league, wrapped up the title with a remarkable 11-point advantage over Atletico Madrid and 15 point-lead over last year’s champions Real, their season has been overshadowed by their dramatic Champions League exit.

The Catalans were beaten by AS Roma in the quarter-finals after throwing away a 4-1 advantage from the first leg.

Coach Ernesto Valverde continues to be dogged by questions about the woeful 3-0 loss in Rome and was asked if it had damaged his position at the club even on the eve of the title-clinching game against Deportivo.

In the aftermath of Barca’s elimination, voices in the Catalan press asked why Valverde had not rotat-