The visitors’ recent slow starts were maybe on the minds of the Villarreal players as they immediately looked to drive at the reigning champions. Last season’s champions were fortunate to escape early punishment, too, as Alexander Sorloth saw a well-taken goal ruled out for a narrow offside.
To the disappointment of the home faithful, Alex Baena then shot wide from 12 yards out, though it marked a dominant start for their side and highlighted the gap left by the injured Ronald Araujo.
However, against the run of play, Barcelona jumped into a commanding lead in the space of three minutes. Lamine Yamal, who recently became Barca’s youngest player to feature in a top-flight starting XI, flicked in a delightful cross for Gavi to head home, before Frenkie de Jong’s close-range strike, Barcelona’s 100th LaLiga goal against their hosts, doubled the advantage.
Nevertheless, the Yellow Submarine would have the final word in a fascinating first half as they sensationally bounced back to level. Ex-Tottenham Hotspur defender Juan Foyth nodded home from a corner, before a beautiful team goal was rounded off by Sørloth from just yards out.
Xavi, who was banned from the touchline for this clash, would likely have had some choice words for his Barcelona players at the interval had he been able to speak to them.
Whatever was said at the break in his absence certainly didn’t have the desired effect, anyway, with Baena placing a side-footed effort past a rooted Marc-Andre ter Stegen just five minutes after the restart.
To their credit, the reigning champions responded well, with a period of dominance almost rounded off by Yamal when he smashed the post after some smart movement inside the box.
Ultimately, Barcelona’s mental strength was put on full display for all to see as they struck a quickfire double for the second time. Ferran Torres, one of last weekend’s difference-makers, smashed home after seeing his initial effort blocked, before Robert Lewandowski struck his first league goal since May after yet more fantastic work from Barça’s rising-star Yamal.
You might have thought the rigours of such a game would show in the legs of Quique Setien’s men, but they refused to relent in their search for an equaliser with their energy and passion defying belief.
And, although they would eventually have to settle for second best, they were given a standing ovation by the home crowd after a quite brilliant encounter in which Barcelona staked their claim for a defence of their LaLiga title.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
