Barcelona v Villarreal: Line-ups, stats and preview
Barcelona v Villarreal match preview
An occasion that looked like being a potential title-decider at one point on Thursday night will now be a celebration of an exceptional season for Barcelona when the newly-crowned champions host fifth-placed Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday.
Barca almost fell behind twice before half-time in a keenly contested derby at Espanyol, only for Lamine Yamal’s sensational strike to put Hansi Flick’s side on their way to a 2-0 win that secured the title with two games to spare at Real Madrid’s expense.
Their final game of the campaign at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys will arrive little more than 48 hours after a victory parade starting from their temporary first-team home, marking their triumphs in the top flight, Copa del Rey and Super Cup during Flick’s first season in Spain.
The German’s players held back after full-time at the RCDE Stadium. “We wanted to respect Espanyol’s fans, so we celebrated in the locker room – as we should,” explained Flick. “When I see people happy and smiling, I’m happy.”
Villarreal are on the brink of returning to the Champions League for the first time since their defeat to Liverpool in the 2021/22 semi-finals.
Needing to finish fifth, the Yellow Submarine are five points above sixth-placed Real Betis immediately below them with two games remaining and a seven-goal superiority.
“We’d like to secure it ourselves, because it’s a very important match and at a great ground,” said manager Marcelino (via AS), referencing Betis’s tricky simultaneous fixture away at Atletico Madrid.
“Picking up points in Barcelona [will] guarantee that for us; it’s difficult, but we have to try. We’re feeling good and, when you feel good, you believe you’re capable of beating anyone, including Barca.”
Marcelino, whose team will form a guard of honour for their opponents, is sensibly wary of the hosts but added that he does not expect them to have “the same level of focus” after achieving their remaining ambition for 2024/25.
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