18.05.2025
Spain 🇪🇸 La Liga
On May 18, 2025, Villarreal secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over FC Barcelona at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, marking the end of Barcelona’s unbeaten league streak since December.
FC Barcelona lost.However,the result did not affect their championship status. The match served as a celebration of their successful season and marked their last game at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys before returning to the renovated Spotify Camp Nou.
Barcelona played a solid first half against Villarreal on May 18, but their overall performance had flaws—especially defensively. Here’s a breakdown:
What went well:
▪︎Lamine Yamal was a standout performer again. He scored a beautiful goal and nearly added another with a powerful shot off the crossbar.
▪︎Fermín López also contributed with a well-taken goal, giving Barça a 2-1 lead at halftime.
▪︎Offensively, they created decent chances and showed fluid play in spells.
What went wrong:
▪︎Defensive issues were evident. They conceded 3 goals from Villarreal’s only 3 shots on target.
▪︎Marc-André ter Stegen, while usually reliable, was criticized for not saving any of those shots.
▪︎They seemed to lose intensity in the second half—possibly due to already having won the league, which affected focus and urgency.
Conclusion:
Barcelona didn’t play poorly, but they weren’t at their sharpest. It looked like a team in celebration mode more than in competitive gear. The match served more as a send-off than a must-win, especially since they had already secured the La Liga title.
