Before Sunday’s defeat, Barcelona was all but unstoppable in La Liga, winning seven games in row 20-1 on aggregate due to an opening-day stalemate with Vallecano.
That imperious domestic form helped build a grandstand Clasico, with Xavi’s men sitting at the top of the table with the same points as their formidable opponents heading into the historic 250th edition.
Although Ferran Torres pulled one back in the second half, Robert Lewandowski’s unusually blunt attacking performance left the Blaugrana struggling to save a point, with Rodrigo in stoppage time. A penalty kick off the stage ended the victory.
After a frustrating 3-3 draw with Inter in the Champions League, the hosts mustn’t let their confidence slip as a series of potential Banana Peel League games lead to an all-or-nothing showdown Fall in either side with Bayern Munich.
Not only staring at an early European exit barrel but any inattention in La Liga could also lead to a ruthless Real Madrid exit forever.
On the other hand, the visitors will be hoping for an encouraging 2-0 win over Osasuna on Monday night as Arnaut Danjuma scores his first league goal of the season with a superb brace.
Eager to keep up with Real Madrid, dropping points was not an option for Barcelona in the weeks following the Clasico defeat.
Villarreal will be embarrassing for the home side, but their firepower should allow them to win by a narrow margin.
Odds
Barcelona
1X2
Villarreal
1.538
4.82
6.3
Team Statistic
Barcelona
In Champions League position: 3 (4 points)
In La Liga position: 2 (22 points)
VS
Villarreal
In Europa Conference League position: 1 (12 points)
In La Liga position: 7 (15 points)
