THE LEAGUE
KOSTAS BRATSOS 27.01.2024 | 21:36
Barcelona’s Ilkay Guidogan in action against Villarreal for the 2023-2024 La Liga at Montjuic Olympic Stadium | Saturday, January 27, 2024 © 2024/JOAN MONFORT/AP IMAGES
Barcelona trashed a 0-2 comeback and Villarreal’s 5-3 win left the Catalans -10 behind leaders Real.
After being knocked out in the Copa del Rey, Barcelona lost their realistic hopes of challenging for La Liga. An unlikely turnaround within eleven minutes against Villarreal was not enough, as in the end counter-attacks gave the “yellow submarine” a 5-3 win for matchday 22.
The Blaugrana were in control of the game with close to 70% possession, but most of their finishing was misplaced and poor. The “yellow submarine” had the essence and took the lead with Gerard Moreno in the 41st minute, in one of his rare attacks. The 2nd half started with a gift from Joao Cancelo to Ilias Acomas, who beat his former Masia team-mate, Inaki Peña, for 2-0.
The home side were awakened by this goal and showed their quality with an incredible turnaround inside eleven minutes. In 60′ Ilkay Gintogan gave the signal, in 68′ Pedri equalized and in 71′ Eric Baggi made it 3-2 with an own goal from a charge in the area.
Nothing was over, however, as the Catalans pressed high up the pitch and thus left gaps at the back. In one such phase in the 84th minute, Gonzalo Guedes with a strong shot beat Peña and equalized. All of Xavi’s players took to the Villarreal pitch and paid for it in the dying minutes of stoppage time, after two counter-attacks saw Villarreal pull within two goals through Alexander Charlotte and Jose Luis Morales.
The results of the 22nd game
- Almeria – Alavés 0-3 (10′, 88′ Omorontion, 52′ pen. Rioja)
- Real Sociedad – Rayo Vallecano 0-0
- Las Palmas – Real 1-2 (53′ Munioth / 65′ Vinicius, 84′ Tswameni)
- Barcelona – Villarreal 3-5 (60′ Guidogan, 68′ Pedri, 71′ aut. Baghi/ 41′ Z. Moreno, 54′ Acomas, 84′ Guedes, 90+9′ Charlotte, 90+12′ Morales)
- Mallorca – Betis 0-1 (45+1′ Altimira)
- 28/01 15:00 Telta – Girona
- 28/01 17:15 Cádiz – Athletic
- 28/01 19:30 Sevilla – Osasuna
- 28/01 22:00 Atletico – Valencia
- 29/01 22:00 Getafe – Granada
The program of the 23rd matchday
- 02/01 22:00 Athletic – Mallorca
- 03/01 15:00 Valencia – Almeria
- 03/01 17:15 Granada – Las Palmas
- 03/01 19:30 Alaves – Barcelona
- 03/01 22:00 Girona – Real Sociedad
- 04/01 15:00 Villarreal – Cadiz
- 04/01 17:15 Osasuna – Telta
- 04/01 19:30 Betis – Getafe
- 04/01 22:00 Real – Atletico
- 05/01 22:00 Rayo Vallecano – Sevilla
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