Barcelona see off Villarreal with goals from Raphinha and Yamal

Barca punish 10-man hosts Villarreal to triumph eighth consecutive La Liga crippled and determination 4 points wide astatine the summit.

Barcelona wingers Raphinha and Lamine Yamal guided the Catalan giants 4 points wide astatine the apical of La Liga with a 2-0 triumph astatine 10-man Villarreal.

Brazil planetary Raphinha won and converted an aboriginal punishment connected Sunday earlier Villarreal’s Renato Veiga was sent disconnected earlier half-time for a precocious lunge connected teen Yamal.

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The 18-year-old slotted location Barca’s 2nd midway done the 2nd half, arsenic Hansi Flick’s broadside restored their vantage connected Real Madrid, who are second, and won an eighth consecutive league game.

Villarreal are 4th aft Atletico Madrid moved up of them with a 3-0 triumph astatine Girona earlier on.

Flick launched into an impassioned defence of Raphinha connected Saturday aft helium was not included successful FIFA’s ‘The Best’ squad of the twelvemonth earlier successful the week, and the winger rapidly repaid his coach.

Raphinha produced an all-action show astatine Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica, wherever the lucifer was played alternatively of successful Miami, aft La Liga’s plans to instrumentality this crippled to the United States were scrapped successful October.

Barca were mediocre defensively and struggled successful their build-up play, but the prime of wingers Raphinha and Yamal and their goalkeeper Joan Garcia’s outstanding show decided an entertaining encounter.

Jules Kounde blocked Villarreal striker Ayoze Perez’s changeable earlier Raphinha drew a foul from Santi Comesana to triumph a punishment astatine the different end.

The winger dispatched it confidently and astir added the 2nd with a superb effort from region which crashed backmost disconnected the bar.

Kounde deflected a transverse into his ain nett arsenic Villarreal fought back, but the extremity was disallowed for offside successful the build-up.

Barca stopper Joan Garcia saved from Tajon Buchanan aft an Alejandro Balde mistake arsenic Villarreal astir levelled.

The visitors’ occupation was made easier by Veiga’s needless reddish paper for an ugly, precocious lunge connected Yamal earlier the interval.

The champions got their 2nd extremity aft a scramble successful the box, with Frenkie de Jong teeing up Yamal to occurrence location aft 63 minutes.

Joan Garcia made stunning saves to contradict Rafa Marin and Georges Mikautadze to assistance Barca extremity 2026 with 3 points and a 3rd cleanable expanse successful their past 3 games crossed each competitions.

Kounde went disconnected wounded earlier the end, perchance adding to Flick’s problems astatine the backmost pursuing Andreas Christensen being diagnosed with a partially torn genu ligament.

Barca decorativeness the twelvemonth successful amended signifier than rivals Real Madrid, who beat Sevilla 2-0 connected Saturday, but inactive person plentifulness of their ain concerns to interest about.

Barcelona skipper de Jong said his broadside had achieved their nonsubjective of finishing the twelvemonth connected apical of the league and volition remainder earlier the league resumes successful aboriginal January.

“Villarreal are precise speedy connected the counter; they’ve got talented players up front. We could’ve managed to beryllium a spot better… we person to organise ourselves a spot better,” helium said.

“But I felt retired determination connected the transportation that we were superior. Not needfully comfortable, but I deliberation we deserved to win.”

Villarreal skipper Dani Parejo said helium was pleased with however his squad performed, isolated from conceding the penalty.

“We had loads of truly bully chances; we could person been much than 1 extremity up astatine halftime,” helium said.

“It feels similar everything is going against america astatine the moment; teams are scoring against america with not much, but we are pleased with the representation we person shown, however we played with 10 men against a large team. We showed large attitude.”