Four takeaways from Levante v Villarreal, record first half and third place | OneFootball

Villarreal are short of their best, yet they have completed an excellent first half on 44 points, consolidating third place, three clear of Atlético and seven ahead of Betis. According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, that eases the noise.

It is Villarreal’s best top flight mid-season haul and, outside Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético, only Girona’s 48 a couple of seasons ago was better.

Third place is effectively secured for now. It would most likely not lead to the Supercopa, with Atlético close to the Copa del Rey final after a 4-0 over Barcelona, but it is worth an extra six to seven million euros.

The 0-1 at Levante brought a first clean sheet since the 2-0 against Getafe on 6 December, ending a run of 14 matches without one for Luiz Júnior or Arnau Tenas. In that spell they won only three, 1-3 in Alche, 3-1 against Alavés and 4-1 against Espanyol.

Could fifth again reach the Champions League? Villarreal did so last season thanks to Spanish clubs in Europe. England have one extra place secured and the other would be for Germany, though Spain, fourth with Portugal between, has narrowed the gap.

If it repeats, Villarreal would be close given a 13-point lead over sixth-placed Espanyol, with head to head, and 14 over Celta, who still visit La Cerámica after a 2-2 at Balaídos. After Georges Mikautadze’s winner, Santi Comesaña dismissed talk of a bad run, while Sergi Cardona and Alberto Moleiro stressed the side had competed well.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo