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The Catalans will try to dislodge Atletico Madrid at the top of the table when they visit Villarreal in the league. Unai Emery’s team has been one of La Liga’s best this season and are themselves hoping to finish the campaign in a European spot. Barcelona, meanwhile, are
With only six games remaining till the end of the season, the La Liga title race is heating up. Atletico stumbled midway through the season but have since consolidated their top position after important back-to-back wins. Real Madrid, meanwhile, are second after beating Barca recently.
Ronald Koeman’s side are chasing the two Madrid clubs and have a game in hand over both the teams. If they can derive maximum points from the extra game, they will move to second, just two points behind the leaders.
Next up for Barcelona are Villarreal, who themselves are chasing Real Betis and Real Sociedad for one of the UEFA Europa League spots. Unai Emery’s team is currently seventh in the league table and has allowed Betis to overtake them after two losses in recent weeks. The Yellow Submarine lost to Alaves the previous weekend by two goals to one.
Emery will be facing his former side Arsenal soon in the Europa League semi-final. However, he will have to prepare his team for Barcelona before that. Messi and Co are due for a visit this weekend and are in scintillating form. They beat Getafe 5-2 midweek and Athletic Club 4-0 last weekend. The Catalan giants even recorded a whopping 6-1 victory over Real Sociedad recently.
Barcelona have won more points than any other La Liga team in 2021. Meanwhile, they also hold a positive record over Villarreal, who are winless over the Blaugrana in 23 matches. The odds are stacked in favour of Koeman’s side as they continue to chase the elusive top spot. They are yet to spend a single weekend at the top of the table this season.
Key Players
Villarreal have largely depended upon forward Gerard Moreno to score goals this season. His form has been consistent throughout the season, so much so that even Luis Enrique took notice and included him in the Spain National Team fold multiple times. Moreno has scored 26 times this season, with 20 of those goals coming in the league. His strikes have ensured that his team remain within touching distance of a European spot.
The entire football world was left in shock when Valencia let their captain Dani Parejo join rivals, Villarreal, for peanuts. However, Los Che’s loss turned out to be The Yellow Submarine’s gain, with Parejo quickly becoming one of the team’s key players. The midfielder has made a staggering 43 appearances for Emery’s side this season, more than any other player. He has scored three times, but most of his work is done sitting deep in midfield.
Barcelona have Lionel Messi to thank for their upturn in form this season. The Blaugrana seemed to be drifting away from the top during the early parts of the season before Messi and Co turned things around. The attacker’s form in front of the goal has been key for Ronald Koeman’s side throughout the campaign. He is currently leading the top scorers charts with 25 goals and even scored a brace in the last match against Getafe.
Antoine Griezmann is no longer the star of the team. He has transformed into a supporting act, providing aid to the leading man – Lionel Messi. However, the Frenchman has done his job well, and despite periods of inconsistency, has had a largely decent season. The France international is in double figures in terms of both goals and assists. He was on target from the penalty spot in Barcelona’s win over Getafe midweek.
Prediction
Both teams are part of a chasing pack. While the Blaugrana are hunting down Atletico Madrid at the top of the table, the Yellow Submarine is after Real Sociedad and Real Betis for one of the Europa League spots. A win for either of them in the next match would help their end-of-season goals massively.
While Villarreal have fared well in Europe, they have stumbled domestically. Unai Emery’s team is currently seventh in the table, behind Real Betis on head-to-head record. They are a further point away from Real Sociedad, who occupy the fifth position on the league table. They have the talent to beat Barcelona on their day but are facing a challenging task, especially with the Spanish giants back in form.
Barcelona’s loss to Real Madrid proved to be a minor blip in their quest for the top spot. They have since recollected themselves and returned to winning ways. They should beat Villarreal in their next match and continue their march towards the top of the table.
