Spanish La Liga
BarcelonaBarcelona2Dep La CoruñaDeportivo La Coruña2

Barcelona 2-2 Deportivo La Coruna

Xavi
Barcelona captain Xavi will join Qatari side Al Sadd at the end of the season

Barcelona captain Xavi left the pitch to a standing ovation as his final La Liga game ended in a draw against Deportivo de La Coruna.

The 35-year-old midfielder, who has spent 24 years with the club, was withdrawn with five minutes left and saluted by the whole of the Nou Camp.

Lionel Messi's brace had put Barca 2-0 up before Deportivo fought back.

Lucas and Diogo Salomao earned a point for Deportivo who escaped relegation on head-to-head record with Eibar.

Eibar beat already relegated Cordoba but joined them in slipping into the Segunda Division.

Almeria were also relegated after losing to Valencia, who sealed a fourth Champions League spot behind third-placed Atletico Madrid.

At the Nou Camp, Barcelona's players wore special shirts to honour Xavi after he announced he will leave the Spanish champions at the end of the season to join Qatari side Al Sadd.

His final bow at the Nou Camp is expected to come in the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao next weekend while his last appearance in a Barcelona shirt is likely to be the Champions League final against Juventus in Berlin on 6 June.

"I am the happiest man in the world today and for the 17 seasons I have been here," Xavi told the crowd after fighting back tears.

"As the coach [Luis Enrique] has said this hasn't finished. We want two more titles and we want to be here with you all again in Barcelona on 7 June."

With the La Liga title already sewn up and both those two matches in mind, Enrique made nine changes to his starting line-up.

Xavi man and boy
Xavi joined Barcelona aged 11

That meant ex-Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen featured for the first time since he joined last summer, having endured a difficult spell out through injury.

Barca took the lead in the fifth minute when Deportivo goalkeeper Fabricio parried the ball clear to Brazil midfielder Rafinha, who crossed for Messi at the back post and the Argentine headed in from close range.

The hosts had the ball in the net again before the break when Messi got on the end of the a sublime lofted pass from Neymar only for the referee to disallow it.

However, the same combination saw Barca increase their advantage with a clinical counter attack just before the hour mark.

The visitors pulled a goal back through winger Lucas, who curled the ball past goalkeeper Jordi Masip from the edge of the area.

And the Nou Camp was left stunned with 14 minutes left as Salomao equalised when he poked home after Haris Medunjanin's initial free-kick had been blocked by the Barcelona wall.

It did not really take the gloss off the day for Xavi, who lifted his eighth La Liga trophy for the Catalans after the full-time whistle.

Xavi shirt
Barcelona's players wore special shirts thanking Xavi for his contribution at the Nou Camp
Xavi giant flag
Supporters at the Nou Camp saluted Xavi with a giant flag
Xavi waves
Xavi was given a standing ovation by Barcelona supporters when he was taken off with five minutes left
Xavi
Xavi lifted his eighth La Liga trophy in his final league match

Line-ups

Barcelona

Formation 4-3-3

  • 25Masip
  • 21Correia
  • 15BartraSubstituted forMascheranoat 70'minutes
  • 23VermaelenSubstituted forPereira dos Santosat 63'minutes
  • 24MathieuBooked at 75mins
  • 12Rafinha
  • 20Roberto Carnicer
  • 6HernándezSubstituted forIniestaat 86'minutes
  • 10Messi
  • 7Pedro
  • 11Neymar

Substitutes

  • 2Montoya
  • 8Iniesta
  • 13Bravo
  • 14Mascherano
  • 16Pereira dos Santos
  • 18Alba
  • 31El Haddadi

Dep La Coruña

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 13Fabri
  • 15Sanabria Ruiz
  • 23Lopo
  • 12da Silva Junior
  • 3CanellaSubstituted forMedunjaninat 39'minutesBooked at 90mins
  • 22Borges
  • 4Bergantiños GarcíaBooked at 90mins
  • 17Salomao
  • 10Domínguez LamasBooked at 58minsSubstituted forRiera Magemat 62'minutes
  • 19Cavaleiro
  • 7PérezSubstituted forRodriguez Martinezat 86'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Lux
  • 5Insúa
  • 6Rodriguez Martinez
  • 8Medunjanin
  • 9Postiga
  • 21Riera Magem
  • 32Hélder Costa
Referee:
Carlos Clos Gómez
Attendance:
93,743

Match Stats

Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamDep La Coruña
Possession
Home78%
Away22%
Shots
Home17
Away10
Shots on Target
Home7
Away2
Corners
Home4
Away4
Fouls
Home6
Away9

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Barcelona 2, Deportivo de La Coruña 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Barcelona 2, Deportivo de La Coruña 2.

  3. Booking

    Haris Medunjanin (Deportivo de La Coruña) is shown the yellow card.

  4. Post update

    Attempt missed. Adriano (Barcelona) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Pedro.

  5. Post update

    Lionel Messi (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  6. Post update

    Foul by José Rodríguez (Deportivo de La Coruña).

  7. Post update

    Corner, Deportivo de La Coruña. Conceded by Neymar.

  8. Booking

    Álex Bergantiños (Deportivo de La Coruña) is shown the yellow card.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona).

  10. Post update

    Oriol Riera (Deportivo de La Coruña) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Adriano (Barcelona).

  12. Post update

    Oriol Riera (Deportivo de La Coruña) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Post update

    Attempt missed. Neymar (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Adriano.

  14. Substitution

    Substitution, Deportivo de La Coruña. José Rodríguez replaces Lucas Pérez because of an injury.

  15. Substitution

    Substitution, Barcelona. Andrés Iniesta replaces Xavi.

  16. Post update

    Corner, Barcelona. Conceded by Haris Medunjanin.

  17. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  18. Post update

    Delay in match Lucas Pérez (Deportivo de La Coruña) because of an injury.

  19. Goal!

    Goal! Barcelona 2, Deportivo de La Coruña 2. Diogo Salomao (Deportivo de La Coruña) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner following a set piece situation.

  20. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Haris Medunjanin (Deportivo de La Coruña) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Saturday 23rd May 2015

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Barcelona383044110218994
2Real Madrid383026118388092
3Atl Madrid38239667293878
4Valencia382211570323877
5Sevilla38237871452676
6Villarreal3816121048371160
7Ath Bilbao381510134241155
8Celta Vigo381312134744351
9Malaga38148164248-650
10Espanyol381310154751-449
11Rayo Vallecano38154194668-2249
12Real Sociedad381113144451-746
13Elche38118193562-2741
14Levante38910193467-3337
15Getafe38107213364-3137
16Dep La Coruña38714173560-2535
17Granada38714172964-3535
18Eibar3898213455-2135
19Almería3888223564-2932
20Córdoba38311242268-4620
View full Spanish La Liga table