Three talking points ahead of Villarreal vs Barcelona | La Liga MD17 | OneFootball

When Chelsea took down Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, Hansi Flick promised that a new Barcelona would arrive in the coming games and that the results would change immediately.

The manager could not have lived up to his word better, nor could the team have found a better point in time to step up.

Since that fated clash in London, Barcelona have played six games and won all six of them. They have scored 17 goals in that duration and conceded just six.

The final game of the calendar year now sees them travel to Estadio de La Ceramica for a clash against Villarreal, and the team undoubtedly will have it as their objective to complete a flawless December on the night.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Villarreal vs Barcelona.

A table-top clash

17 games into the league season, Barcelona are comfortably on top of the league table with 43 points as they have won 14 of their games, drawn once, and lost two games.

Real Madrid, as it stands, are the closest to them in terms of points as they linger on 39 points with as many games played. Notably, they have two more draws and as many defeats as the Catalans.

Villarreal, Barcelona’s upcoming opponents, come third on the table and have also been enjoying a fabulous year in the league so far, and sit on 35 points, just four points behind Real Madrid.

What makes the situation more interesting, however, is that the Yellow Submarines have played two games less than Real Madrid, meaning they are actually far closer to Los Blancos or could well even be ahead of them.

Barcelona enter the game as La Liga’s top scoring team by far, with 49 goals scored, 15 more than the second highest. Villarreal, meanwhile, enter with the best defensive record with just 13 goals conceded, three fewer than the next best.

Tomorrow’s game, thus, is one between two potentially table-topping teams, and Barcelona will not have it easy. Games between the two sides have traditionally been goalfests, and this year may be the same.

A big night for De Jong

Set to start in Pedri’s absence. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The big news from Barcelona’s camp ahead of the game at La Ceramica is the situation of Pedri, who has been ruled out of the contest.

The midfielder has not been training with the group and even missed the final session ahead of the Villarreal clash, confirming suspicions that he is dealing with discomfort.

The manager relayed in his press conference that the setback is minor and that Pedri will not play out of caution, but there is also a worry that it could be a more concerning setback that keeps him out for longer.

In any case, the situation calls out for Frenkie de Jong and hands the Dutchman a chance to fight for his spot in the team.

The past month has not been easy for De Jong as he initially missed games through sickness and personal issues and then went on to be replaced in the starting lineup by Eric Garcia.

With Pedri out, he will certainly return to the XI tomorrow and thereby look to impress Flick with a strong performance. After all, he has a lot to prove to the manager in terms of the stability he can bring to the team.

Rounding off 2025

While Barcelona’s rejuvenation began when Hansi Flick took over the reins at the club, their purple patch last season only began in January, after the team returned from the Christmas break.

Up until December, the Catalans suffered months of poor results and unconvincing performances leading them to drop the lead in La Liga and slip in the standings.

Once 2025 began, however, the team switched to a different gear and began collecting silverware – first with the Spanish Super Cup and later La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

Now, they stare at the final game of what has been a special calendar year, and it is only fitting that they end the year on a high note. A win over Villarreal would undoubtedly be a special way to do so.

As soon as the team return from the hiatus, they will kick off with the Catalan derby and the Spanish Super Cup – situations that demand the team to be on song. Ending the year and heading into the vacations on a high, needless to say, will go a long way.