Villarreal CF host the LALIGA leaders in the final league fixture of the year (Sunday, 4:15pm CET)
A blockbuster clash at the Estadio de la Cerámica! Villarreal CF will welcome FC Barcelona this Sunday at 4:15pm CET for the 2025/26 LALIGA EA Sports Matchday 17 fixture at the Yellow Submarine’s home ground.
The Submarine face the leaders of LALIGA EA Sports in a top-level showdown. Third place takes on first place at the Estadio de la Cerámica, with the final three league points of 2025 at stake and plenty of footballing spectacle expected.
FC Barcelona flying high at the top of the table
Villarreal head into the match after a painful Copa del Rey setback against Racing Club de Santander (2-1), which brought their cup run to an end. In LALIGA, the Yellows did not play their most recent fixture against Levante UD due to the severe weather alert issued last Sunday along the Valencian coast.
In the Copa del Rey, FC Barcelona defeated Guadalajara in their opening match of the competition. The Blaugrana had to work hard to break the deadlock but eventually claimed a 0-2 victory thanks to goals from Christensen and Rashford. They also secured a win at Camp Nou against Osasuna (2-0).
Hansi Flick’s side are in excellent form. They currently lead the league and have won their last seven LALIGA matches. Their most recent defeat dates back to 26 October, when they lost El Clásico to Real Madrid (2-1) at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Despite having played two fewer matches, Villarreal sit just eight points behind the Catalan side—an impressive gap given that the season is approaching its halfway point
The toughest opponents for Villarreal at La Cerámica
At the Estadio de la Cerámica, beating Villarreal CF is no easy task. The Yellow Submarine are a tough opponent for any visiting side. However, if there is one team that has caused the Groguets the most problems in recent years, it is FC Barcelona.
Villarreal’s last home victory over the Blaugrana dates back to October 2007, when the Submarine, then coached by Manuel Pellegrini, defeated Barcelona 3-1. A brace from Marcos Senna and a goal from Santi Cazorla secured all three points for a Villarreal side that would go on to finish the season ahead of Barça in the league standings.
In the last 16 meetings between the two teams at the Yellows’ home ground, Villarreal have recorded four draws, compared to 12 victories for the Catalan side. A trend that Marcelino’s men are eager to reverse, hoping to return to the days when the former El Madrigal was a real headache for FC Barcelona. Between 2003 and 2008, the Submarine managed to win five of the six matches played at home against the Blaugrana.
