Barcelona’s nightmarish run of form persisted on Saturday with a tumultuous 5-3 defeat at home against Villarreal.
Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno and Ilias Akhomach surged ahead 2-0, with Moreno having an early goal controversially disallowed. However, Barcelona, under Xavi’s management, mounted a spirited comeback, scoring three goals in 11 minutes. Ilkay Gundogan, Pedri, and an Eric Bailly own goal turned the tide in Barcelona’s favor. Nevertheless, Villarreal’s Goncalo Guedes scored late against the flow of the game, setting the stage for a captivating finale.
Villarreal ultimately had the last word as Alexander Sorloth netted twice in stoppage time, securing a memorable 5-3 victory.
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The game began scrappily, with efforts from Lamine Yamal and Joao Felix blocked, and a crucial save from Villarreal’s Filip Jorgensen. Moreno seemingly found the net after chaotic penalty box play, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR check.
However, just before halftime, Moreno capitalized on Barcelona’s defensive lapse, converting a well-placed cross from Sorloth.
Xavi initiated a significant halftime statement with a triple substitution, aiming to convey his dissatisfaction with the first-half performance. Unfortunately, one of the substitutes, Joao Cancelo, committed an error, allowing Akhomach to score Villarreal’s second.
Ferran Torres, another substitute, made an immediate impact, setting up Gundogan to score in the 60th minute. Seven minutes later, Pedri, yet another substitute, leveled the score.
The comeback culminated when Gundogan’s free kick deflected off Eric Bailly into his own net under pressure from Ronald Araujo.
Despite Barcelona appearing poised for a significant victory, Guedes drilled home with six minutes remaining, equalizing once again. In stoppage time, Barcelona was awarded a penalty, but a VAR check overturned the decision as Villarreal’s Santi Comesana did everything to avoid contact.
The drama continued as Sorloth scored in the 99th minute, crushing Barcelona’s hopes. In a final twist, Sorloth added another goal with the last kick of the game, delivering a stunning reality check to Barcelona.