| Barcelona vs Villarreal |
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| SCHEDULE | TIME |
|---|---|
| GAME | Barcelona vs Villarreal |
| DATE | 12/02/2023 |
| TIME | 01:30 AM (Indian Standard Time) |
| ARENA | El Madrigal |
| LEAGUE | La Liga |
| FULL TIME |
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Match Preview of Barcelona vs Villarreal
Barcelona will be aiming to make it six La Liga victories in a row and open up a 11-point lead at the top of the table when they head to Villarreal on Sunday night.
The Catalan giants are currently in pole position to reclaim the title, while Villarreal are sixth in the division, four points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid in the battle for a Champions League spot.
Villarreal won four of their five league matches between November 9 and January 22 to leave themselves in a strong position in the table, but the Yellow Submarine have now lost their last two against Rayo Vallecano and Elche, becoming the first team to be beaten by the latter in La Liga this term.
The 3-1 defeat at Elche was certainly a shock and a real setback for Quique Setien's side, but they will now have the chance to bounce back against the best team in La Liga, according to the league table at least.
Villarreal are still firmly in the battle for the top four, currently sitting sixth in the table, four points behind fourth-placed Atletico, but they are only three points ahead of 10th-placed Mallorca, so a slide down the table could occur if their disappointing run of form continues.
Setien's team have largely been strong at home this season, picking up 19 points from nine matches, which is the fourth-best record in the division, but they will be welcoming a Barcelona side with the best away record, having picked up an impressive 27 points from 10 matches on their travels.
Our Predicted Lineups
Barcelona possible starting lineup:Ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Alba; Pedri, De Jong, Gavi; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Fati
Villarreal possible starting lineup: starting lineup:Reina; Foyth, Albiol, P Torres, Mojica; Capoue, Parejo; Chukwueze, Baena, Pino; G Moreno
Who will win the match?
We say: Villarreal 1-2 Barcelona. Barcelona's long winning run is going to end at some point, but we are backing them to pick up another victory here. Villarreal are more than capable of making this an uncomfortable match for the league leaders, but Barcelona have enough quality to navigate their way to an important three points.