Now he has the chance to make it official when the “Yellow Submarine” hosts Barcelona on Sunday.
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The team coached by Marcelino García Toral occupies third place, eight points behind the leader Barcelona and four points behind second-placed Real Madrid. But they have played two fewer games than the powerhouses, so they could easily be in an even stronger position.
Villarreal have disappointed in the Champions League and were knocked out of the Copa del Rey this week by a lower division team. But La Liga is a different story. Villarreal is on a streak of six consecutive victories and its only two defeats have been in Madrid and Atlético de Madrid.
The match will pit the league’s best defense in Villarreal with 13 goals allowed against the league’s best offense. Barcelona has scored 49 goals and has more than made up for a sometimes shaky defense by outscoring its opponents.
Key matches
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Barcelona will look to quash thoughts of a challenge from Villarreal and close 2025 on a high note this weekend.
An eighth consecutive league victory for Lamine Yamal and company would also keep the pressure on a struggling Madrid side.
Madrid hosts Sevilla on Saturday and coach Xabi Alonso needs a convincing victory before having the two-week winter break to reflect on the team’s future.
Madrid needed a last-minute save from goalkeeper Andriy Lunin to avoid potential embarrassment against a third-division club in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. That came after a lackluster victory against Alavés in the Spanish league and consecutive home losses to Manchester City in the Champions League and Celta Vigo in La Liga.
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Fourth-placed Atlético Madrid visits Girona on Sunday, while fifth-placed Espanyol takes its surprising run of four wins to Athletic Bilbao on Monday.
Players to watch
Villarreal has based its success on teamwork with several scorers and playmakers. But left back Alberto Moleiro stands out. He is having a great first season with the team and leads Villarreal with six league goals. Tajon Buchanan has added five goals and midfielder Santi Comesaña helps a solid midfield.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has so far managed to convert Gerard Martín into a left-sided centre-back, who struggled to replace the left-back when Alejandro Balde was injured late last season.
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Martín has five consecutive starts in the center of the defensive line while Flick tries to find a replacement for Íñigo Martínez, who left last summer for Saudi Arabia. Martín may be tested by Villarreal’s attack.
out of action
Villarreal will be without veteran forward Gerard Moreno and defensive midfielder Pape Gueye, who is with Senegal at the African Cup of Nations.
Madrid’s defense remains diminished even after Antonio Rudiger and Dean Huijsen regain their health. Éder Militão, David Alaba, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy are injured. Álvaro Carreras is serving a suspension.
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer