Barcelona vs Villarreal: Why the Yellow Submarine Fancy Their Chances at Camp Nou
Barcelona host Villarreal in a top-three LaLiga clash on 28 Feb. Here's why the Yellow Submarine aren't just making up the numbers.
Matchday 26 in LaLiga has got a proper cracker lined up — second versus third, and the visitors have got a few reasons to feel well confident about their trip to Barcelona.
The Context
Barcelona are still licking their wounds after getting turned over by Girona at Montilivi last Monday. It was a proper dent in their title ambitions, and now Hansi Flick’s side face a Villarreal outfit who’ve been quietly going about their business and climbing the table. The Yellow Submarine sit third, having clawed their way back after a rough patch that saw them lose four on the spin across all competitions in late January and into February.
Marcelino’s lot got their act together at just the right time, helped along by Atlético Madrid dropping consecutive results to slip to fourth. Funny how football works, innit.
Barcelona’s Home Fortress — With a Catch
On the face of it, Camp Nou looks like a nightmare away day. Barça haven’t lost a home game in official competition since the 1st of October — and that was in the Champions League against PSG. In LaLiga specifically? Their last home defeat goes all the way back to the 18th of May. That’s a ridiculous run.
But here’s where it gets interesting:
- Villarreal were the last top-flight side to win at Camp Nou
- The Yellow Submarine have won three of the last four LaLiga meetings played in Barcelona
- They’ve also won their last two away games against the Catalans
So while Barça’s home form looks fortress-like on paper, Villarreal are basically the one team who’ve been picking the lock.
What’s at Stake
This isn’t just a tasty fixture for the neutrals — it’s got genuine title race and top-four implications written all over it. Barça need a bounce-back performance after the Girona result, and a home defeat here would really open things up. Villarreal, on the other hand, know that a win would put serious pressure on the teams above them and cement their credentials as genuine top-four contenders rather than just happy tourists in the upper reaches of the table.
Flick will be desperate to get his side back on track. Villarreal will be dreaming.
When and Where
- Match: Barcelona vs Villarreal
- Competition: LaLiga EA Sports, Matchday 26
- Date: Friday 28 February
- Kick-off: 16:15 (local time)
- Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona
Tickets are still available for this one — prices vary depending on where you fancy sitting.