Goals by Raphinha and Lamine Yamal ensured Barcelona will end 2025 four points above second-placed Real Madrid in La Liga after a 2-0 win at third-placed Villarreal.
Brazil forward Raphinha won and scored a 12th-minute penalty after being fouled by Santi Comesana and struck the woodwork with an exquisite shot from distance shortly afterwards.
Renato Veiga was sent off later in the second half for a rash challenge on Lamine Yamal, who fired in from inside the box with 27 minutes remaining after the Yellow Submarine were unable to fully clear their lines.
Lamine Yamal doubles Barça’s lead! 🔵🔴
The winger applies the finish following a scramble in the Villarreal box 👏
𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 @sbk | 18+ | 𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝐺𝑎𝑚𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑦 pic.twitter.com/DHnLma71mr
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) December 21, 2025
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Villarreal v Barcelona: Barca end 2025 with La Liga win
Having survived Raphinha shooting against the woodwork shortly after the opener, Villarreal almost replied when Jules Kounde’s own goal was ruled by an offside decision against Sergi Cardona.
Before Veiga’s dismissal, Alejandro Balde was fortunate not to be punished for a mistake when Joan Garcia made one of a string of impressive saves by repelling Tajon Buchanan’s shot.
You can relive live text updates and stats from the match here.
Villarreal team vs Barcelona
Centre-back Rafa Marin, left-back Sergi Cardona, midfielder Santi Comesana, winger Alberto Moleiro and forward Ayoze Perez kept their places from Villarreal’s 2-1 Copa del Rey defeat at second-tier Racing on Wednesday.
Head coach Marcelino was dealing with a lengthy injury list, with Willy Kambwala, Logan Costa, Pau Cabanes, Ramon Terrats, Gerard Moreno and several others unavailable. Pape Gueye and Ilias Akhomach are at the 202 Africa Cup of Nations.
Villarreal starting XI: Luiz Junior, Pau Navarro, Rafa Marin, Renato Veiga, Sergi Cardona, Tajon Buchanan, Santi Comesana, Dani Parejo, Alberto Moleiro, Nicolas Pepe, Ayoze Perez
Villarreal substitutes: Arnau Tenas, Adria Alti, Manor Solomon, Gerard Moreno, Georges Mikautadze, Tani Oluwaseyi, Jean Valou, Carlos Macia, Alassane Diatta
Barcelona lineup vs Villarreal
Barcelona made six changes from their 2-0 win at Guadalajara in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday, bringing in goalkeeper Joan Garcia, defenders Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin and Alejandro Balde alongside forwards Raphinha and Ferran Torres.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Marc Casado, Andreas Christensen, Jofre Torrents, Roony Bardghji, Marc Bernal and Marcus Rashford made way.
Pedri was out with a calf issue. Midfielders Gavi and Dani Olmo and defender Ronald Araujo were also injured.
Barcelona starting XI: Joan Garcia, Kounde, Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Balde, Eric Garcia, Frenkie de Jong, Fermín Lopez, Raphinha, Ferran Torres, Lamine Yamal
Barca substitutes: Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford, Marc Casado, Marc Bernal, Wojciech Szczesny, Dro Fernandez, Roony Bardghji, Tomas Marques
How to watch Barcelona: Live stream, TV channel
Live coverage of La Liga in the UK is on Premier Sports, with streaming available on a vast range of devices via the Premier Sports app.
A Premier Sports subscription costs £120 a year, £11.99 per month on a 12-month contract or £16.99 per month with 30 days’ cancellation notice required.
Villarreal vs Barcelona stats
- Villarreal had won their previous six consecutive La Liga matches
- They have now lost their last three games in all competitions, having been beaten away to second-tier Racing in the Copa del Rey and at home to Copenhagen in the Champions League
- Marcelino’s team have conceded fewer goals than any other side in this season’s Liga (15)
- Two of their previous three league meetings with Barca had ended victoriously, but they have not won the fixture at home since October 2007
- Barcelona have won eight straight league games
- They have scored 51 goals in 18 league matches in 2025/26
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: 101greatgoals.com
