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After a heartbreaking defeat by Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-finals, there was a very real possibility of Barcelona’s season falling apart.

In recent seasons, perhaps it would. Downgrading a potential treble to a solitary cup triumph would have been on brand not so long ago, given the club’s struggles on and off the pitch in recent years.

But this is a new Barcelona.

After falling 2-0 behind in Sunday’s Clasico against arch-rivals Real Madrid – the third time in four matches they have done that – Barcelona roared back to lead 4-2 at half-time, 4-3 by the end.

After surviving some late Madrid pressure, Barcelona know victory against Espanyol on Thursday will secure a 28th league crown. Defeat for Madrid against Mallorca on Wednesday would do the job for them.

Four Clasico victories in the same season – only the second time that has ever happened – highlights the marvelous job Hansi Flick has done since replacing Xavi as manager last summer.

A team who not too long ago lacked identity and belief now have both in abundance, even if they don’t do things the easy way.

With young players including Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Pau Cubarsi enjoying stellar campaigns, the Blaugrana look well equipped to fight on all fronts for years to come.

After a quite opening period on Sunday, Flick’s attack picked Madrid apart with their relentless pressing and ruthless finishing.

Defence remains a concern, and despite his loyalty to a high-line system, Flick pledged to work on it.

“I think this journey that we started last year, it’s not over – I know that we have to improve a lot in defence,” he said.

“It has nothing to do with the back four. When we make mistakes, Real have fantastic offensive players.”

Speaking to Movistar Plus, Yamal said: “It was obviously very important to win today. It’s great to have this game after the Champions League, I think it’s already forgotten.

“Suffering is what makes you strong and what teaches you to correct the mistakes you make.

“It’s been a difficult year; we haven’t been able to be in our stadium… In the end, I told my mother, the Champions League is every year. We’ll keep trying.

“It was very important to win today to get closer to the league title. We are delighted.”

If the future at Barcelona looks bright, then the same cannot be said of Real Madrid.

Carlo Ancelotti’s time at the club looks to be ending, and it is happening in the worst possible way.

Though Los Blancos played their part in a pulsating game, a fourth consecutive loss to their bitter rivals effectively handed them the league title.

Kylian Mbappe gave Madrid a 2-0 lead inside 15 minutes – becoming the club’s highest-ever scorer in a debut campaign – before completing his hat-trick in the second half.

Yet the defensive struggles that derailed their season were clear for all to see as Barca led 4-2 by half-time.

Conceding 16 goals in four Clasicos this season is simply not acceptable.

Madrid pushed in the second half as Mbappe completed his hat-trick, but at the other end of the pitch Barcelona ran riot.

Things would have been different had 21-year-old substitute Victor Munoz not blazed over when through on goal, but then scoring goals has not been a major issue for Ancelotti’s side this season.

That said, Ancelotti’s main shortcoming this season has been the failure to find balance in a team with Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham at his disposal.

“It was an evenly played match, competitive and fought until the last second,” Ancelotti told reporters.

“We could have scored the equaliser but it is what it is. It was a great game between two great teams, so I have nothing to reproach my team for in terms of attitude and commitment. It didn’t go well but we competed.

“We have to defend better, that is quite evident from today’s game, we defended badly and that’s that.”

Ancelotti is widely expected to leave the club at the end of the season, with former Madrid player Xabi Alonso expected to replace him once he leaves Bayer Leverkusen. The Spaniard could have his work cut out.

Asked pre-match about his future, Ancelotti said: “With this club, the honeymoon doesn’t end. The honeymoon with Madrid will last until the last day of my life.”

London Pulse moved back to the top of the Netball Super League with a 63-53 derby win against the London Mavericks at Wembley Arena.

Loughborough Lightning had gone top with a 71-59 win over the Leeds Rhinos but Pulse responded by getting back to winning ways following a defeat by Nottingham Forest last time out.

They led 35-22 at half-time and, despite the Mavericks reducing the deficit to four points with nearly 12 minutes left, Pulse finished strongly to go two points clear at the top of the Netball Super League table.

Lightning had put some pressure on Pulse with an assured display at home to see off second-bottom Leeds Rhinos a day earlier.

Vic Burgess’ side are aiming to clinch a third consecutive title and looked to be warming to the task in this fifth straight victory.

Just one point separated the two sides going into the final five minutes of the second quarter before Lightning turned the screw in the ‘super shot’ period, outscoring Rhinos by nine points to two.

They moved further ahead after the break, ending the third quarter leading 54-39 at the Sir David Wallace Arena.

And while the visitors worked hard to reduce that deficit in the closing stages, Lightning always looked capable of capitalising on their greater shooting accuracy.

They finished with an 86% success rate, compared with Rhinos’ 82%, landing six more goals (46-43) and three more in the ‘super shot’ period (11-8).

The top two will meet when Pulse host Lightning at the Copper Box Arena in their next match on Sunday, 18 May.

On Friday, Cardiff Dragons claimed their first win of the Netball Super League season as they beat Birmingham Panthers on Friday.

Having started the campaign with seven consecutive losses, the Dragons overcame a narrow half-time deficit to secure a 61-57 victory at the Skydome Arena.

The Panthers led 34-32 at midway point and were still a point up at the end of the third quarter.

It was level at 57-57 with five minutes remaining but the Dragons edged ahead through goal attack Phillipa Yarranton and she added a super shot to extend the lead.

Goal shooter Georgia Rowe, who top-scored for the Dragons with 39 goals, wrapped up the win for the Super League’s last-place side.

The Panthers had a marginally better shooting success rate, 86% to the Dragons’ 85%, with Sigi Burger scoring 46 goals, but were outshot 67 to 55 by the visitors.

Friday, 9 May

Birmingham Panthers 57-61 Cardiff Dragons

Saturday, 10 May

Loughborough Lightning 71-59 Leeds Rhinos – watch the full match back on BBC iPlayer

Sunday, 11 May

Nottingham Forest 58-72 Manchester Thunder

Olympic gold medallist Ros Canter won the Badminton Horse Trials for the second time in her career on Lordships Graffalo.

The pair, who claimed the title in 2023, regained it following a clear round in the showjumping.

Britain’s Canter was second after the dressage and cross country elements behind compatriot Oliver Townend, who won the 2009 event.

But Townend, last out on board Cooley Rosalent, knocked down a rail in the showjumping finale to slip to second overall.

Canter, who was part of the British eventing team to win gold in the Paris Olympics last summer, dedicated her victory to her coach and mentor Caroline Moore, who died two months ago.

“This was for Caroline Moore, she was by my side my whole career,” Canter told Horse and Hound.