Barcelona restored their four point lead at the top of La Liga with a confident 2-0 victory over ten man Villarreal on Sunday, extending their winning streak to eight matches under Hansi Flick. Real Madrid had briefly closed the gap to a single point the day before, but the Catalan side responded immediately to end the year in strong form.
With the title race now shaping up as a two team battle between Barcelona and Real Madrid, third placed Atlético Madrid sit nine points behind.
Raphinha tormented the Villarreal defence throughout the first half, and his relentless pressure earned a penalty. The Brazilian converted from the spot in the 12th minute to give Barcelona the lead. Villarreal’s night worsened just before halftime when they were reduced to ten men.
In the second half, Lamine Yamal continued his impressive run of form, scoring his third goal in five matches to seal the win.
Villarreal did create early chances, with Nicolas Pépé heading wide from close range and Álex Baena forcing a save from Joan García. But Barcelona’s control grew as the match progressed, ending Villarreal’s six match winning streak.
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