Barcelona see off 10-man Villarreal to extend La Liga winning run to eight matches | OneFootball

Villarreal 0-2 Barcelona

Barcelona have re-installed their four-point lead at the top of La Liga, having defeated 10-man Villarreal at La Ceramica.

Raphinha returned to the left wing for this one, with Fermin Lopez having been brought in for Marcus Rashford. The Brazilian scored twice last weekend in the victory over Osasuna, and he broke the deadlock from 12 yards, after he was felled inside the penalty area by Villarreal midfielder Santi Comesana.

Renato Veiga was sent off for the home side in the closing stages of the first half, which made Barcelona’s task easier. The defender, who joined Villarreal in the summer from Chelsea, went in on Lamine Yamal’s foot, and it was deemed to be serious foul play by referee Javier Alberola Rojas.

Having the man advantage allowed Barcelona to control proceedings for the remaining minutes, but they still had to be alert. Joan Garcia was forced into multiple important saves as Villarreal sought a goal, but in the end, it was the Catalans that struck the second of the afternoon.

Image via Alex Caparros/Getty Images

On 63 minutes, a scramble inside the Villarreal penalty box ended with Frenkie de Jong teeing up Lamine Yamal to slam home from 10 yards out. The 18-year-old had been a menace throughout the contest, and it was a deserved moment for him to add to his tally for the season.

Barcelona end 2025 on a positive note with another win

Marcus Rashford missed a big chance to score a third for Barcelona after he was played through by de Jong, but in the end, it did not matter. The Catalans have now won their last eight matches in La Liga, and it ensures that they end 2026 with a four-point cushion over closest challengers Real Madrid, which is a much better position than they found themselves last season.