La Liga: Barcelona vs Villarreal Live
Preview
Barcelona will aim to recover from their elimination in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals as they return to La Liga action against Villarreal on Saturday. The Catalan team experienced a 4-2 defeat to Athletic Bilbao in the cup, while Villarreal drew 1-1 with Mallorca in their most recent league match.
Barcelona manager Xavi acknowledges the possibility of losing his job if he fails to secure trophies this season. The team suffered a setback in their recent loss at San Mames, leaving them competing on only two fronts. After a 2-2 draw in regular time, Athletic scored twice in extra time to progress in the competition. Barcelona’s January cup performances have been disappointing, including a 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final.
However, they have achieved victories in their last three league matches against Almeria, Las Palmas, and Real Betis. Currently sitting in third place in La Liga, Barcelona are eight points behind leaders Girona, who have played an additional game. Despite a 4-2 win over Real Betis in their last league outing, Barcelona has experienced both of their league losses at home in the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. They are set to face Napoli in the Champions League last-16 stage.
Villarreal finished in fifth place in the top division of Spanish football last season and have consistently been in the top seven for the past four seasons. However, the 2023-24 season has been disappointing for them so far. Both Quique Setien and Pacheta lost their jobs as head coaches due to the team’s struggles, and Marcelino returned as head coach in November but has also faced difficulties. Villarreal has won five, drawn five, and lost 11 of their 21 La Liga matches this season, earning 20 points and placing them in 14th position, just five points above the relegation zone.
The team is currently on a four-game winless streak, with three of those matches resulting in losses, including a 3-0 defeat to Las Palmas in their most recent away game on January 13. In their last home game, Villarreal could only manage a 1-1 draw against Mallorca, with Javier Llabres scoring a late equalizer for the visitors after Alexander Sorloth had put Villarreal ahead 1-0. Villarreal has only won twice away from home in the league this season.
Head-to-head
Barca will aim to secure their fourth consecutive La Liga victory against Villarreal on Saturday. This winning streak includes a 4-3 win in their previous match earlier this season.
Prediction
Barcelona may face a challenging match against Villarreal, despite their difficulties. Both teams will be without key players, adding an element of intrigue to the game. However, we anticipate that the current La Liga champions will have the necessary skill to win the match on Saturday.
