Barcelona secured their status as La Liga leaders heading into the new year with a 2-0 victory over Villarreal at the Estadio de la Ceramica on Sunday. Wingers Raphinha and Lamine Yamal provided the goals, allowing the Catalan giants to restore a four-point cushion over second-placed Real Madrid.
The result marks an eighth consecutive league victory for Hansi Flick’s side, who move to 46 points, while Villarreal remains in fourth place on 35 points following Atletico Madrid’s earlier win against Girona.
The visitors took the lead against the run of play in the 12th minute when Raphinha won and converted a penalty after being brought down by Santi Comesana. The Brazilian forward, who Flick had passionately defended recently after his exclusion from FIFA’s ‘The Best’ team, nearly doubled the lead moments later with a strike that rattled the crossbar.
Villarreal’s comeback hopes were dealt a severe blow just before halftime when Renato Veiga was shown a straight red card for a rash lunge on Yamal. The 18-year-old Yamal eventually secured the three points in the 63rd minute, slotting home from close range after being teed up by Frenkie de Jong.
Despite the loss, Villarreal threatened throughout the match and will feel frustrated by their lack of clinical finishing. A potential equalizer via a Jules Kounde own goal was ruled out for offside, while Nicolas Pepe and Ayoze Perez spurned early opportunities.
Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia was instrumental in preserving the clean sheet, producing a string of outstanding saves to deny Rafa Marin, Tajon Buchanan, and Georges Mikautadze. "We had so many chances to go in at half-time winning," Villarreal midfielder Dani Parejo said. "We’re hurt by the result... But we are proud and happy with the team’s work, for how we set up to play this game."
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong admitted the performance wasn't perfect but emphasized the importance of the result ahead of the winter break. "Villarreal has fast players who break rapidly, and we have to manage that a bit better," De Jong told the press. "But in the end, I think we were superior, and I wouldn’t say comfortable, but I think it was a deserved win. We’re happy because we have finished the year as leaders, which was our objective, and now we can rest."
The victory did come with fresh concerns for Flick, as Jules Kounde left the field injured late in the game. This adds to Barcelona's defensive woes following the recent diagnosis of Andreas Christensen with a partially torn knee ligament. With the league now entering its winter hiatus, Barcelona will return to action on January 3 against city rivals Espanyol, while Villarreal will look to bounce back when they travel to Elche.
