Villarreal lose to FC Barcelona after three girls in the first half
Villarreal lost to FC Barcelona at the Spotify Camp Nou (3-0). The Yellows failed to get a point at the home of FC Barcelona, where the Catalan side won with two goals from Robert Lewandowski and another from Ansu Fati.
Three days after the important and superb win against Osasuna at the Ciutat de València (2-0), Villarreal travelled to Barcelona for Matchday 10 of the league championship. A highly demanding match against the Culé side, which also comes on a very sad day for Villarreal CF following the death of vice-president, José Manuel Llaneza.
To face the clash against the Catalan team, Unai Emery put together a very similar eleven to that of the last league game, with just one exception. The addition of Kiko Femenía, who played at right-back, in place of Aïssa Mandi.
In the first few minutes, the Submarine looked daring, not giving up the ball and threatening to run into space. It was precisely in this way that Emery’s side had their first chance of the game. Arnaut Danjuma sent a side-footed shot wide to end a dangerous counter-attacking move. Soon after came the first setback for Villarreal, who had to take off Alfonso Pedraza due to injury.
On the half-hour mark, and in just five minutes, Barça scored two goals. Both were scored by Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker, with a well-timed move in the box in the first and with an accurate shot in the second, put the game to bed for Barça.
The goals were a huge blow for Villarreal, who struggled to get back into the game. Not surprisingly, in the 40th minute, Ansu Fati scored the third goal in a quick attacking transition by Ferran Torres.
At 3-0, the game went to the break. A big and heavy burden for the Submarine, who tried to get back into the game by closing the gap on the scoreboard. The obligatory first-half substitution of Mojica for Pedraza was joined in the second half by the introduction of José Luis Morales, Manu Trigueros and Alberto Moreno, who gave Unai Emery’s side a little more control.
Villarreal tried, but failed to get on the scoreboard. The Submarine came away empty-handed from their trip to Camp Nou. The groguets will face UD Almería this Sunday, at 6:30pm CEST, at the Ciutat de València.
Lineups:
FC Barcelona: Ter Stegen; S. Roberto (Bellerín, m. 70), Koundé (Piqué, m. 78), Marcos A., Jordi Alba; F. De Jong (Sergio, m. 70), Gavi, Pedri; Ferran, Lewandowski (O. Dembelé, m. 75), Ansu Fati (Raphinha, m. 75).
Villarreal CF: Rulli; Kiko F., R. Albiol (Mandi, m. 80), Pau, A. Pedraza (J. Mojica, m. 25); Yeremy, Morlanes (M. Trigueros, m. 57), Parejo, Álex B., N. Jackson (Alberto M., m. 57); Danjuma (A. J. Morales, m. 46).
Goals: 1-0. Min. 31: Lewandowski. 2-0. Min. 35: Lewandowski. 3-0. Min. 40: Ansu Fati.
Referee: Del Cerro Grande. Booked: Pau Torres (Villarreal CF).
Matchday information: Match between FC Barcelona and Villarreal CF, corresponding to Matchday 10 of the 2022/23 LaLiga season, at the Spotify Camp Nou. Attendance: 73,861. Before kick-off, there was a minute’s silence in memory of Villarreal CF vice-president José Manuel Llaneza. RIP.
