BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Villarreal quietly began a potential dark-horse title-winning campaign through most of the first half of La Liga.
There is now a chance to make it official when the ‘Yellow Submarine’ host Barcelona on Sunday.
Coach Marcelino García Toral’s team are in third place, eight points behind leaders Barcelona and four points behind second-place Real Madrid. However, since they have played two fewer games than the strong countries, there is a good chance that they will be in an even better position.
Villarreal disappointed in the Champions League and were also eliminated in this week’s Copa del Rey by a team from the lower leagues. But La Liga is a different story. Villarreal are on a six-game winning streak, but have only lost two games, against Madrid and Atlético Madrid.
This game pits Villarreal’s league-leading defense, which conceded 13 goals, against its league-leading offense. Barcelona scored 49 goals and more than made up for their sometimes shaky defense by outscoring their opponents.
key match
Barcelona will aim to end 2025 on a high this weekend by eliminating any thoughts of Villarreal’s challenge.
Lamine Yamal and his team’s eight consecutive league wins will continue to put pressure on Madrid’s struggling side.
Madrid host Sevilla on Saturday and manager Xabi Alonso needs a convincing win before a two-week winter break to ponder the team’s future.
Madrid needed a last-minute save from goalkeeper Andriy Lunin to avoid possible embarrassment against the third-tier club in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey. It came after a lackluster win against Alaves in the Spanish league and back-to-back home defeats against Manchester City in the Champions League and Celta Vigo in La Liga.
Fourth-placed Atlético Madrid visit Girona on Sunday, while fifth-placed Espanyol face Athletic Bilbao on Monday with an astonishing fourth straight win.
Featured players
Villarreal’s success is based on a team effort from several goal scorers and playmakers. However, left winger Alberto Moreiro stands out. He has made a breakthrough in his first season with the team, leading Villarreal with six league goals. Tahon Buchanan added five goals, with midfielder Santi Comesaña helping out a solid midfield.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has so far been successful in reinforcing the left-sided centre-back position in Gerard Martin, who struggled to fill the left-back void when Alejandro Balde was injured late last season.
Martín started his fifth consecutive game in the middle of the defensive line as manager Flick tries to find a replacement for Iñigo Martínez, who left for Saudi Arabia last summer. Martin may be tested in Villarreal’s attack.
Activity suspended
Villarreal will be without injured veteran striker Gerard Moreno and defensive midfielder Pape Gueye, who will represent Senegal at the African Cup of Nations.
Even after Antonio Rudiger and Dean Huyssen return to health, Madrid’s backline remains in decline. Eder Militao, David Alaba, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy are injured. Alvaro Carreras has been suspended.
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