With an illuminated Lamine Yamal, Xavi’s side earned a home victory over a Villarreal team that staged a dramatic comeback from 0-2 to lead 3-2 before Barça struck back for a final 4-3 result.
Barcelona, missing Pedri and Ara?Raphinha due to injuries, secured a spectacular triumph on Sunday in the third round of the league. The match swung wildly with goals flowing from both sides, and a decisive moment arriving from Lamine Yamal that set up Robert Lewandowski for a late winner, crowning the Catalans in a thriller at La Cerámica.
The match ended with a high-octane 3-4 scoreboard and a Villarreal side that looked to have turned the game around after an early deficit, only to see Barcelona salvage three points late on. The Yellow Submarine briefly led 3-2 before Lewandowski’s goal swung the pendulum again in Barcelona’s favor.
Fans could follow the Villarreal vs Barcelona clash live as part of the LaLiga 2023-2024 season coverage. Barcelona climbed to seven points with this win, while Villarreal remained on 3 points from nine a challenging start to the campaign, leaving a sense of missed opportunities after a spell of attacking football.
The article below recaps everything that happened for the Catalans at La Cerámica, highlighting three vital points that help them stay within striking distance of Real Madrid, the league leader at that stage.
The live and instant online recap of Villarreal vs. Barcelona in La Liga 2023-2024: video, goals and statistics
More highlights and updates will follow in due course…
90′ Lewandowski missed a crucial opportunity after a Ferrán Torres through ball split the defense. The Polish striker found space for a one-on-one but was denied by Filip Jorgensen in a key save that preserved Villarreal’s hopes of holding on at the death.
83′ Ansu Fati had a moment of hesitation, passing on an opportunity to shoot when teammates were in better positions, and the chance drifted away as the shot was blocked by a defender.
82′ Sergi Roberto’s break brought a potential cross from the right, but the final ball found no Blaugrana runner and the misfire meant a rare miss for Barcelona on the counter.
78′ Villarreal, shaken by the late goal, pressed to regain the initiative as Barcelona controlled possession in search of a decisive moment. The visitors managed the tempo, but the home defense held firm at times and allowed counter-attacks to spark the drama again.
73′ Barcelona showed the needed vertical thrust to flip the script within minutes. Ferrán Torres converted a center-run, and a sparked sequence courtesy of Lamine Yamal culminated in a scoring setup that once again put the visitors ahead on points. It was a standout performance from the Blaugrana youth product.
71′ Lewandowski struck again, finishing a move inspired by Yamal’s diagonal run that dragged the goalkeeper out and opened space for the Polish striker to find the net. The goal swung the balance back Barcelona’s way.
68′ Ferran Torres equalized for Barcelona, finishing a crafted sequence after a dual attempt from Gavi and a collision with Cuenca that left the ball in play and found the net, restoring parity in a fiercely contested game.
59′ Filip Jorgensen made a crucial save as Lewandowski pressed from the edge of the box, forcing a clearance after Barcelona’s high-pressing spell nearly yielded a breakthrough before the Swedish goalkeeper cleared the danger.
55′ Lamine Yamal and Sergi Roberto combined to set up a decisive cross that prevented Villarreal from pulling even, keeping Barça ahead and shaping the late drama.
fifty’ Alex Baena pulled Villarreal back to 3-2 after a well-executed move from Pedraza, finishing from close range to give the hosts renewed hope and ignite a tense finish to the game.
Villarreal continued to press after their goal, with Pedraza and Sorloth creating chances and forcing Barcelona to defend bravely through the latter stages as the clock wound down toward the final whistle.
The first half unfolded at a ceramic-stadium pace, with Villarreal dictating the tempo and crafting the clearest chances until Barcelona found a rapid double in a two-minute spell that briefly silenced the home crowd. It was a game where the hosts looked to press high and create opportunities, while Barcelona showed dangerous countering intent and clinical finishing in key moments.
40′ Alexander Sorloth levelled for Villarreal, receiving a through ball and finishing from close range after Pedraza’s feeder, a goal later validated by VAR for his positioning. The equalizer set the stage for a breathless finish before halftime.
26′ Juan Foyth rose to meet a Baena corner, directing a header home to restore Villarreal’s lead after Barcelona had briefly taken the lead earlier in the half. 24′ Pedraza produced a dangerous cross that forced a save, signaling the Yellow Submarine’s intent to stay in the contest. Fifteen′ Frenkie de Jong restored balance for Barcelona in a swift counter from a Gundogan pass to Lewandowski, delivering a clinical finish for the second goal.
12′ Gavi opened the scoring with a rebound after a set-piece, taking advantage of a tight angle to finish and hand Barcelona the lead. Lamine Yamal’s influence was evident as the move began to shape the opening exchanges. 6′ Pedraza’s early cross nearly yielded a breakthrough for Villarreal, underscoring the high tempo of the early minutes. 4′ A controversial decision saw Sorloth finish but ruled offside after VAR review, keeping the scoreline unsettled heading into the early minutes.
Start the game at the Estadio de la Cerámica as Villarreal sought to push Barcelona from the center of the pitch. The teams lined up with competitive intent as the match kicked off.
Villarreal’s XI and Barcelona’s XI were set for a tense 90 minutes of LaLiga action in a fixture that delivered attacking football and late drama, cementing its status as one of the season’s more memorable matches.
Minute by minute Villarreal vs. Barcelona from LaLiga 2023-2024
Note: This recap is a summary of the events observed during the match. The content excludes external links and sources, focusing on delivering clear, factual match reportage and in-match analysis.