Yamal and Raphinha shine as Barca defeat Villarreal away in La Liga

22/12/2025 06:33:00 SportScoop

Raphinha and Yamal’s goals helped Barca claim a 2-0 win at Villarreal in La Liga’s 18th round.

Right after referee Javier Alberola blew the whistle to start, Villarreal took the initiative aggressively. At the 2nd minute, the "Yellow Submarine" launched a sharp counterattack down the right side, delivering the ball to the far post in a favorable position, but Nicolas Pepe’s header narrowly missed the post.

The home side continued to apply pressure in the early minutes, creating another notable chance in the 7th minute when Perez controlled the ball with his chest and quickly volleyed near the near post, forcing Barca’s goalkeeper Garcia to make a crucial save.

Barcelona did not fully dominate; in fact, their defense showed signs of lapses. At the 9th minute, a bad pass in their own half gave Villarreal a shooting opportunity, but Perez’s shot was not precise enough to beat goalkeeper Garcia.

Raphinha’s goal helped Barca secure a 2-0 win over Villarreal in La Liga’s 18th round.

However, in a somewhat tight contest, Barca made better use of their chances. In the 12th minute, Raphinha was fouled inside the box by a Villarreal defender, earning a penalty for the visitors. The Brazilian calmly converted the spot-kick to open the scoring at 1-0 for Barcelona.

Raphinha was a constant source of inspiration in Barca’s attacks. At the 16th and 32nd minutes, the forward fired two trademark long-range shots, one hitting the crossbar and the other narrowly missing the top of the goal, much to the disappointment of the Cules.

Villarreal also had moments that made Barca’s defense nervous. In the 24th minute, Buchanan volleyed from a tight angle, sending the ball across the goal, and in the 36th minute, he dribbled past Balde and faced goalkeeper Garcia but failed to score.

The major turning point in the first half came in the 39th minute when Renato Veiga was shown a straight red card for a foul from behind on Lamine Yamal. The young Barca star appeared to be in pain and required medical attention, while Villarreal was left severely disadvantaged. The first half ended 1-0 for Barcelona with a player advantage.

The second half featured a clear pattern as Barcelona, with their numerical superiority, controlled the pace and gradually wore down Villarreal’s resolve.

Right after the restart, the hosts showed they had not given up. Despite being a man down, Villarreal pushed forward, taking risks to find an equalizer, especially in the first 10-15 minutes of the second half.

In the 60th minute, the "Yellow Submarine" launched several dangerous attacks, forcing Barca’s defense to retreat deeply. However, imprecise key passes and a lack of sharp finishing caused these chances to slip away.

While Villarreal was still searching for a goal, Barca struck back decisively. In the 64th minute, after a quick and incisive attacking move, the home defense was torn apart, allowing Lamine Yamal to seize the opportunity and finish neatly inside the box, making it 2-0 for the visitors.

This goal almost ended Villarreal’s hopes of taking points. Barca played increasingly comfortably, with Raphinha continuing to be a dangerous threat down the right wing.

In the 74th minute, the Brazilian forward unleashed a powerful long-range shot that narrowly missed the post, sending a shock through the Cerámica stadium.

Villarreal also had a chance in the 77th minute, but their yellow-shirted forwards either lacked accuracy or couldn’t beat Barca’s goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who was focused and solid throughout the match.

In the final minutes, coach Hansi Flick brought on Rashford and Lewandowski to strengthen the attack and maintain control. Leading by two goals, Barca dominated the game, slowing the tempo but staying solid enough to secure the victory.

The match ended 2-0. With this win, Barca extended their lead at the top of La Liga with 46 points.

+Goals: Raphinha 12' (pen). Yamal 64'

+Starting lineups

Villarreal (4-4-2):Junior, Navarro, Marin, Veiga, Cardona, Buchanan, Parejo, Comesana, Moleiro, Perez, Pepe

Barca (4-2-3-1):Joan Garcia, Kounde, Cubarsi, Martin, Balde, De Jong, Eric Garcia, Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Raphinha, Torres

Latest La Liga standings

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