Barcelona destroyed Villarreal 3-0 on Thursday in La Liga as they nursed their wounds following a difficult Clasico loss. After a season full of promise, Xavi‘s vision at Barcelona has seen its first significant setback over the past two weeks as a result of a draw with Inter that has effectively eliminated them from the Champions League and a convincing loss to Real Madrid.
However, onlookers couldn’t tell that Villarreal had hurt Blaugrana’s ego. They controlled possession and effectively transitioned through the gears from the opening whistle. After 30 minutes, chances eventually paid off when, who else but Robert Lewandowski, completed a wonderful play featuring Pedri and Jordi Alba.
After the first goal was scored, he just required a short period to score his second, taking up the ball at the edge of the box and expertly curling it into the goal. Villarreal was suddenly in difficulty. Ansu Fati scored the third goal in as many minutes for Xavi’s team to make it 3-0 before they could even realize it. After the break, Barcelona was in cruise control, taunting their opponents as they looked down the barrel of the gun that would send them to a fifth straight defeat on the road in La Liga without scoring.
The Performing Side:
Frenkie de Jong: De Jong was thrust into the starting lineup by Xavi, and with Barcelona in desperate need of a victory after a trying few weeks, all eyes were on the Dutchman. It would have been very simple for De Jong to falter at the base of midfield. De Jong deserves praise for igniting Camp Nou with a performance that looked like he hadn’t missed a minute of action all season, even though Villarreal didn’t pose much of a danger. He set the pace, stopped counterattacks, and as a result, his two midfield teammates were able to advance.
Pedri: When Gavi won the Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d’Or awards earlier in the week, he made headlines. It’s also simple to overlook the fact that Pedri is still only 19 because of how good he is at only 18 years old. However, based on his performances, you wouldn’t know it because he dominates midfield and breaches defensive lines with the kind of footballing intelligence you’d anticipate finding in the head of a seasoned veteran.
Robert Lewandowski: The Frenchman, though, is too preoccupied with wrapping his wrist with golden tape and cleaning his brand-new, dazzling Ballon d’Or. Lewandowski has had a challenging week, but despite being deserving of such a coveted award himself, he responded wonderfully and in the way, a top striker would, by scoring goals.
The Losing Side:
Joan Laporta: It was crystal evident throughout the summer that Laporta wanted to get rid of De Jong to obtain money for flashy new toys, no matter what line he tried to tow with him. De Jong’s performance tonight in a starting position was the perfect way to subtly give the Barcelona president the finger. He tried to get rid of him but was unsuccessful, so he now has to cope with the supporters’ fervent desire for him to start.
Sergio Busquets: Busquets had a difficult night at work and may have to struggle to regain his position at the base of the midfield after De Jong’s performance. To finish the game, the veteran was introduced in place of De Jong, but the home crowd’s sentiment was clear—they want to see a change in the leadership. Busquets can still contribute to Barcelona, but his position will need to be diminished in light of the team’s El Clasico loss and the Dutchman’s performance tonight.
Pau Torres: Torres didn’t quite appear to be a player deserving of a transfer to the greatest clubs in Europe, even though he was frequently connected with moves to those clubs. Those rumors are undoubtedly false, but they inevitably create expectations. The Spaniard has been hailed as one of the game’s more intriguing, contemporary defensive talents in recent years, but he failed to live up to the hype tonight. Too easily defeated, had bad positioning, and had little leadership for his team.
The Defensive Side:
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen: This season, he has been quieter. The gloves on Ter Stegen hardly got soiled.
Sergi Roberto: Quietly essential to Barcelona’s success in attack. Torres had space to run at defenders because the ball was kept high and wide, which put a strain on Villarreal’s defense.
Jules Kounde: Kounde early on showed good initiative and had a chance to assist on a teaser cross. without ever being too concerned, kept things organized at the back.
Marcos Alonso: The Spaniard had a relaxing evening because he wasn’t frequently put in an uncomfortable position.
Jordi Alba: Much much than the guests could bear. allowed Fati to enter the area and cause issues, but he also supplied plenty of thrust with his precise passes, dummy runs, and crosses.
The boss should get some credit here, Xavi. After a challenging few weeks, it would have been simple for Barcelona to falter, but they didn’t. The show was well-rehearsed, and the players he chose, especially De Jong, had fantastic nights.
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