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MADRID, Spain -- Lionel Messi might have powered Barcelona to this seasons Spanish league crown, but it fell to humble crosstown rival Espanyol to finally finish off Real Madrids title defence with a 1-1 draw on Saturday. So after 10 months of competition, Barcelonas 22nd league title and fourth in five years wasnt decided at Camp Nou, but rather a few miles away at Cornella-El Prat Stadium. Madrid had staved off Barcelonas title celebration by winning its last three games, but the titleholders failed to delay it any longer. "I have to congratulate Barcelona, its coaches, players, board, and fans," said Madrid coach Jose Mourinho. "It just won a league that was ours until today, and the least we can do is to congratulate them." Espanyols Cristian Stuani opened the scoring in the 23rd minute. Gonzalo Higuain levelled in the 58th, but Madrid couldnt find the winner even with Cristiano Ronaldo going on to help. Barcelona sealed the league with a seven-point lead and four games to go, and with Madrid having only six more points in play. "The best gift, turning 29 and winning the league... the prize for the work of the entire year," Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta, who turned 29 on Saturday, wrote on Twitter. Crowds immediately gathered in Barcelonas city centre to toast the trophy, and the club announced on its website that it would hold a parade on Monday to celebrate its latest piece of silverware, and its only one of the season. But Barcelona still has something to play for in its remaining four games, starting with a trip to third-place Atletico Madrid on Sunday: winning would mean it matches Madrids claim to the best campaign ever from last season when it hauled in a record 100 points. "Our first objective is to win the league," said Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova. "Reaching 100 points isnt a title, but now that we dont have games midweek we can play each one in better shape. If we can go for it we will try to do so." Madrids game at Espanyol was a microcosm of its season: too little, and too late. Madrid stumbled at the start of the league campaign and then when it started to reel off wins, Barcelona was too far ahead. Espanyol finished with 10 men after Victor Sanchez was shown a red card for a low tackle on Higuain with Madrid looking for a second goal. Mourinho, who appears near to a return to England this summer, left Ronaldo on the bench until the 57th with his team set to play the final of the Copa del Rey on Friday against Atletico. After bowing out of the Champions League semifinals, it is Madrids only hope for silverware this season. "Barcelona is the rightful champion," said Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso. "The league is won by the most consistent team, and we had a bad start to the season that didnt let us compete until the end. "Our goal is (now) the Copa." Madrid didnt threaten the hosts area in the first half, and Espanyol struck with its first goal against the powerhouse in four games at its Cornella-El Prat Stadium. Stuani scooped the ball into the net from a pass by Sergio Garcia after Madrid failed to defend a corner. Stuani almost added a second goal five minutes later when Joan Verdu played him clear, but Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez bettered him one-on-one. Espanyol kept pressing and it appeared Hector Moreno scored with a header from another corner, but the referee waved it off after ruling that he fouled Alonso, who had gone on to replace the injured Raphael Varane. Mourinho said Varane had an injury of "some seriousness" to his right knee but that more tests were needed. With his team showing no signs of coming back, Mourinho sent on Karim Benzema for Alvaro Morata at the start of the second half. He also ordered Ronaldo to start warming up and soon threw him into the mix in place of a lacklustre Kaka. But it fell to Higuain to equalize with a glancing header to send Luka Modrics free kick under goalkeeper Kiko Casilla and take his personal tally against Espanyol to 10 goals. Madrid pushed Espanyol back into its area, but it came no closer than two free kicks by Ronaldo that sailed well high. Also, Athletic Bilbao beat Mallorca 2-1, leaving the Balearic Islands club in last place and four points from safety, while Deportivo La Coruna also stayed in the relegation zone after losing 1-0 at Valladolid. Osasuna edged out Getafe 1-0 to end a five-game winless streak and move four points clear of the drop. . Isner, ranked No. 14, won his eighth career singles title and took the title in New Zealand for the second time after his victory in 2010. The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. .ca. Kerry, Just watched the shootout in the Coyotes/Leafs game and I have to ask, why was the James van Riemsdyk goal allowed to count? All of the video replays we were shown on TV were inconclusive about whether the puck had entirely crossed the line or not. . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update next week after consultation with their doctors. . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed.Claudio Ranieri could include January signing Daniel Amartey for the first time when Leicester City travel to Manchester City for their top-of-the-table clash on Saturday. Amartey is yet to make the squad since his arrival two weeks ago, having last played a competitive game for former club FC Copenhagen at the start of December because of the winter break.His fitness will be assessed by Leicester boss Ranieri before the game, as the league leaders prepare for a stiff test of their title credentials at the Etihad Stadium. Leicester are currently three points clear at the top of the table City are tough to beat at home, having dropped just eight points at the Etihad all season, and Pellegrinis side have kept four clean sheets in their last five league games.Victory over the Foxes on Saturday afternoon would put City level on points at the top with 13 games to go, but Ranieris side saw off Liverpool on Tuesday and have not lost in the league since Boxing Day. Team newsEliaquim Mangala (hamstring), Kevin de Bruyne (knee/ankle), Wilfried Bony (shin), Jesus Navas (hamstring) and Samir Nasri (thigh) are all sidelined, as is Vincent Kompany (calf), but Pellegrini hopes the defender will be back with the squad next week. Manuel Pellegrini hopes Vincent Kompany will return in a weeks time Amarin over New England on March 16. ' ' '
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