Match ends, Barcelona 5, Villarreal 1.
Barcelona 5-1 Villarreal
- From the section European Football
Barcelona moved to within two games of an unbeaten La Liga season as they brushed Villarreal aside, with Ousmane Dembele scoring twice.
Philippe Coutinho opened the scoring after Dembele's shot was parried and Paulinho tapped home a second.
Lionel Messi poked home following Andres Iniesta's exquisite first-time pass over the defence.
Nicola Sansone pulled one back for Villarreal before Demeble's late double.
He scored into an empty net after good work by Ivan Rakitic and then scored a magnificent second, as he picked the ball up on the halfway line, took on several defenders and chipped Sergio Asenjo from the edge of the box.
Iniesta came off to a standing ovation just before the hour mark. The Barca captain is leaving the club he has spent his entire career at this summer, although there are reports his expected move to China is in doubt.
Ernesto Valverde's Barca now just need to avoid defeat at Levante and at home to Real Sociedad in the next two weekends to become the first team in the modern era to go a whole La Liga season unbeaten.
The last team to achieve the feat was Real Madrid in 1931-32 when there were 18 games in a season.
Line-ups
Barcelona
- 13Cillessen
- 2Cabral Semedo
- 3PiquéSubstituted forMinaat 80'minutes
- 25Vermaelen
- 19Digne
- 15Paulinho
- 5BusquetsSubstituted forRakiticat 65'minutes
- 8IniestaSubstituted forL Suárezat 61'minutes
- 11Dembélé
- 10Messi
- 14Coutinho Correia
Substitutes
- 1ter Stegen
- 4Rakitic
- 9L Suárez
- 17Alcácer
- 18Alba
- 21André Gomes
- 24Mina
Villarreal
- 1Asenjo
- 2GasparBooked at 82mins
- 3González
- 6RuizBooked at 44mins
- 11Costa
- 10Castillejo Azuaga
- 16Hernández Cascante
- 14Trigueros MuñozSubstituted forFuego Martínezat 57'minutesBooked at 72mins
- 7CheryshevSubstituted forSansoneat 45'minutes
- 8Fornals
- 9BaccaSubstituted forÜnalat 70'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Marín
- 13Fernández
- 15Ünal
- 18Sansone
- 19Fuego Martínez
- 23Bonera
- 28Rabaseda Antolín
- Referee:
- José María Sánchez Martínez
- Attendance:
- 54,743
Match Stats
Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamVillarreal
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away20
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away7
- Corners
- Home4
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home6
- Away15
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 5, Villarreal 1.
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 5, Villarreal 1. Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Yerry Mina following a fast break.
Attempt blocked. Javi Fuego (Villarreal) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Nicola Sansone.
Corner, Villarreal. Conceded by Jasper Cillessen.
Attempt saved. Jaume Costa (Villarreal) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Nicola Sansone.
Offside, Barcelona. Coutinho tries a through ball, but Lionel Messi is caught offside.
Coutinho (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Rodri (Villarreal).
Attempt missed. Samu Castillejo (Villarreal) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Pablo Fornals.
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 4, Villarreal 1. Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ivan Rakitic.
Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona).
Samu Castillejo (Villarreal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt blocked. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Luis Suárez.
Attempt blocked. Rodri (Villarreal) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Mario Gaspar.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Lucas Digne (Barcelona) because of an injury.
Booking
Mario Gaspar (Villarreal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Yerry Mina replaces Gerard Piqué.
Offside, Barcelona. Lionel Messi tries a through ball, but Luis Suárez is caught offside.
Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jaume Costa (Villarreal).
Attempt missed. Nicola Sansone (Villarreal) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Rodri.
Attempt missed. Nicola Sansone (Villarreal) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner.
Attempt missed. Pablo Fornals (Villarreal) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Samu Castillejo.
Offside, Barcelona. Ousmane Dembélé tries a through ball, but Coutinho is caught offside.
Paulinho (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Rodri (Villarreal).
Booking
Javi Fuego (Villarreal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Lionel Messi (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Javi Fuego (Villarreal).
Substitution
Substitution, Villarreal. Enes Ünal replaces Carlos Bacca.
Foul by Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona).
Samu Castillejo (Villarreal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Offside, Villarreal. Samu Castillejo tries a through ball, but Carlos Bacca is caught offside.
Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Rodri (Villarreal).
Attempt saved. Carlos Bacca (Villarreal) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Nicola Sansone.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Ivan Rakitic replaces Sergio Busquets.
Paulinho (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
