Jordi Alba is taking added satisfaction from proving Barcelona’s doubters wrong following the Blaugrana’s 23rd league title success.
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The Catalan club secured their fifth league triumph in the last seven seasons by winning 1-0 at previous champions Atletico Madrid on Sunday, maintaining their four point advantage over second-placed Real Madrid with just one game remaining.
The success has been fuelled by a run of 18 wins, one draw and just one defeat in their last 20 league games, with Barca now unbeaten away from home in La Liga since their first game of the calendar year against Real Sociedad.
That defeat at the Anoeta sparked a flurry of criticism for manager Luis Enrique amid reports that he had suffered a bitter falling-out with star player Lionel Messi.
Barca bounced back immediately, however, with Messi starring in a 3-1 home win over Atletico which ultimately proved to be the great turning point in their season.
Reflecting on the criticism they faced earlier in the campaign, Spanish international left-back Alba said: “Everyone had given up on us for dead but we have enjoyed a magnificent season.”
He also believed the spirit within the dressing room has played a key role in the team’s success, adding: “I couldn’t be happier. The atmosphere is one of the best I’ve ever experienced in my career.
“It is something to enjoy, and to remember that it has been a huge effort from the team.”
With two cup finals coming up in the next three weeks, though, Alba is aware that his team-mates cannot spend too long congratulating each other just yet.
Barca face Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final at the Nou Camp on Saturday, May 30 and then face Juventus for the Champions League crown in Berlin a week later, and Alba added: “I hope this is just the start. Winning La Liga is something to enjoy but we have two more finals left.”
Manager Enrique, meanwhile, has cautioned goalkeeper Claudio Bravo not to let his guard down even though he has almost certainly played his last game of the season.
The Chilean goalkeeper, who arrived last summer from Real Sociedad, completed an excellent season by keeping his 23rd clean sheet in La Liga to help secure Sunday’s victory over Atletico.
But Enrique has employed a goalkeeping rotation policy throughout the season, with Bravo only playing in the league while fellow summer arrival Marc-Andre ter Stegen is preferred in cup competitions.
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The 23-year-old German is therefore in line to play against Athletic and Juventus, but Enrique does not want to see Bravo allowing his standards to slip.
“The season has not ended for any of us,” the Barca boss said. “Everyone is important and everyone will enjoy what’s left. The season doesn’t end just because you are not in the starting line-up.”
Enrique also reserved words of praise for winger Pedro, who has endured a frustrating campaign after largely being left on the bench but has played a bigger role in recent weeks.
The forward scored a spectacular goal to secure victory over Real Sociedad last weekend and, with Luis Suarez injured, played the pass for Messi to score the title-clincher at Atletico on Sunday.
“Pedro’s had a sensational season,” insisted Enrique, “He has trained hard all the way through.”
