Villarreal surprises Barcelona and secures European football for next season

Villarreal shocked Barcelona with a 2-0 win at Camp Nou on the last day of La Liga match of the season to seal their first La Blaugrana win in La Liga in 16 years and secure their qualification for next season’s Europa Conference League. set.

The Yellow Submarine started the day in seventh place, one point ahead of Athletic Bilbao in eighth. Villarreal needed Athletic not to win away from Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan against Sevilla to guarantee themselves European football next season.

That turned out to be in Villarreal’s favor, as Athletic suffered a 1-0 defeat.

Barcelona, ​​meanwhile, had nothing to play for, as Xavis had already secured a second-place finish in La Liga.

Barcelona were eager to go out in style for the fans in their final home game of the campaign, but got off to a better start and wrote Villarreal in their own half for most of the first period.

Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli was called into action early on, as Argentinian Ferran Torress denied a half volley at the post.

Despite all of Barcelona’s dominance in possession, Villarreal looked dangerous in the transition, with Unai Emerys’ side taking a shocking lead against the flow of play four minutes before half time.

Moving from left-back, Alfonso Pedraza made a run into the penalty area to grab Dani Parejos from a ball from midfield before finishing far past Marc-Andre ter Stegen near the post to score his fourth goal of the season.

Villarreal then doubled their advantage in the 55th minute when Adama Traores dropped the ball in the penalty area at the feet of Moi Gomez, finishing the right winger from close range.

Barcelona thought they were on the scoresheet with fifteen minutes to go, but a tap-in by Frenkie de Jongs was rejected because Ansu Fati was offside in the run-up.

Villarreal held on to a famous win at Camp Nou – which also sees Unai Emerys first at the famed stadium as manager.

TALKING POINT – VILLARREAL SEAL EUROPEAN FOOTBALL IN STYLE

Despite a disappointing season in La Liga, in which Villarreal recorded 11 defeats, including Alaves and Levante respectively, Unai Emery’s side ended the season on a hugely positive note. They have secured European football for next season, albeit in the Conference League. They will be the first Spanish team to participate in the competition.

This is also Villarreal’s first league win over Barcelona since 2008, a streak of sixteen long years, but those hoodoos are finally behind the Yellow Submarine as they can look forward to new challenges next season. Despite only having four shots throughout the game, the away side deserved the win. They chose their moments and were clinical when they needed to be.

As for Unai Emery, the Villarreal manager will be happy to hear that his side have scored 100 goals in all competitions for the second consecutive season.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Alfonso Pedraza

The Villarreal left-back played a brilliant game tonight, summed up in his attack that gave his side the lead in the first half.

Two things made the goal; Dani Parejo’s excellent through ball over the top and Pedraza’s attacking instinct to run from the defense into the penalty area to clear the shot.

In all, Pedraza had two shots on target, won three successful tackles, made two clearances and made three interceptions.

PLAYER REVIEWS

FC Barcelona: Ter Stegen 6, Alves 7, Araujo 6, Lenglet 6, Alba 6, de Jong 6, Busquets 6, Gavi 6, Traore 5, Torres 6, Aubameyang 6. Subscribers: Fati 6, Puig 6, Mingueza 6, Depay 6, Dembele 6.

Villarreal CF: Rulli 7, Gaspar 6, Albiol 7, Torres 7, Pedraza 8, Trigueros 6, Parejo 7, Capoue 7, Gomez 7, Alcacer 6, Lo Celso 6. Subscribers: Jackson 6, Aurier 6, Pena 6, Chukwueze 6, Estupinan 6.

IMPORTANT MOMENTS

41 – TARGET! (Alfonso Pedraza) – Pedraza has given the away team the lead at Camp Nou! The fullback enters the penalty area and clicks on a cross pass from deep through Parejo. Pedraza gets his shot off just before Traore can get there and his effort beats Ter Stegen on his nearest post!

44 – BIG SAVINGS BY RULLI! † What a strike by Torres! Alves finds him near the back post with a floating cross, and the attacker hits the ball for the first time with the volley, but the Villarreal goalkeeper gets a hand to palm him away!

55 – TARGET! (Moi Gomez) – Moi Gomez shoots the ball in from close range after a shocking mistake by Adama Traore! The ball is passed wide by Parejo for Pedraza down the left channel, but Traore gets there to make the interception. Inexplicably, however, he hooks the ball away without thinking and lands it right in front of Moi Gomez’s feet in the penalty area, and the Villarreal man does the rest! A first win against Barcelona since 2008 now seems very close!

73 – OBJECTIVE EXCLUDED! † That call rules out a Barcelona goal! Alves initially goes for a long-range attack from outside the penalty area, which is not handled convincingly by Rulli. Fati, who was in an offside position, goes for the rebound, but Albiol clears it off the line. De Jong then bundles it up, but the flag is already hanging and the goal is disallowed.

IMPORTANT STATISTICS

• Villarreal is the first Spanish team ever to play in the UEFA Conference League.
• Villarreal record their first league win over Barcelona since March 2008 (a 2-1 win at Camp Nou).
• With ten assists from Dani Parejo in La Liga, he is at the top of the assist table along with Iker Muniain and Jordi Alba.