Villarreal CF vs FC Barcelona: Match preview | La Liga | OneFootball

The final match of the year arrives for FC Barcelona as they take on Villarreal CF away from home. However, this is no ordinary La Liga encounter, as the Catalan giants will be taking on the third-placed team in the league in what will be a crucial game.

With Real Madrid closing in on Barcelona in the league standings, this match presents the opportunity for La Blaugrana to restore their four-point lead over their El Clasico rivals.

Villarreal CF vs FC Barcelona: Match details

Match overview:

FC Barcelona will be taking on Villarreal in their final game of the year, and it is set to be a big one for both teams. Away from home this time around, Flick’s side knows exactly what they need to do to get the job done and secure all three points here.

Unfortunately, however, there are some things to keep in mind that might not exactly be favorable for Barça, given the context of this game. Two important players, Pedri and Andreas Christensen, will both be unavailable for this encounter, and Pedri’s absence in particular will hurt.

Still, there is more than enough quality within this team to field a strong starting XI, and Barcelona can make no excuses. However, Villarreal is a top team, and it is no fluke that they are doing as well in La Liga as they have done so far.

Villarreal is a top team, and their strong position in La Liga this season is no accident. Under the guidance of Marcelino Garcia, they currently have 35 points in the league with two games in hand compared to Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Over their last five games in all competitions, they have recorded three wins and two losses. Although their recent form is not ideal, they remain a consistently dangerous side, as the two defeats came in the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.

As for their goalscoring and defensive form, they have found the back of the opposition’s net nine times across their last five games and have conceded eight goals across the same time period. Moreover, they have scored in each of those five games, so Barça’s defense will need to be vigilant at all times.

Flick’s team, on the other hand, is currently sitting at the top of the La Liga table and has 43 points to their name. While they are just one point above Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid right now, they do have a game in hand, and this is it.

As for their form, they have won their last six games in a row and have scored 17 goals across those last few games. In terms of their defensive solidity, they have conceded 6 goals and have kept two clean sheets across that time period.

This is a great resurgence from a Barcelona side that was initially struggling to give convincing performances. However, a resurgence is not enough on its own, and it must be coupled with real dedication to keep on winning, and that is exactly what the defending La Liga champions will need to showcase today.