Direct Narration and statistics
Barcelona is not willing to put the title on a plate for Atlético. While Real Madrid is losing steam in the final sprint for the League, Ronald Koeman's team continues to recover the ground lost in the first round and added a new victory that prevents the leader from relaxing. It was Antoine Griezmann, with a double, who put pressure on his former team and allowed the Catalans to overcome
Chukwueze's goal
(1-2). Villarreal never threw in the towel, not even when he was left with one less man after
Trigueros was
sent off, but he lacked efficiency.
Frenkie de Jong
offered enough arguments at the Ceramics Stadium so that Koeman does not consider again in his life to chain him to the defense again. The Dutchman gave a recital in a great first half which only lacked the icing on the goal, although Griezmann already took care of that. The former Ajax footballer not only makes the team play from behind but is also capable of appearing in the area to offer the last pass or to finish it off, as in the play that he took from
Asenjo
with a spectacular stop under sticks when the 0-1 was already taken for granted. A little earlier he had also appeared to give back to Griezmann a ball that he could finish himself and that ended with a shot from the French deflected by the defense. Both were associated well in the area, as in the last option before the break, also saved by Asenjo.
Barcelona dominated but Villarreal knew how to scare him when he arrived.
He was especially active at the start, with a couple of failed shots from
Gerard
, although the fact of not having the ball minimized the potential of players like Parejo, Trigueros or Gerard himself, who did not appear as much as usual.
Those of Emery, in any case, also have arguments to do damage to the counterattack, an art in which it is handled like few Chukwueze.
The Nigerian received an accurate long shot from Pau from defense and had the cool-headedness of a striker to cut
Ter Stegen down
.
The expulsion of Trigueros
The advantage lasted a sigh for Villarreal, who saw Barcelona hit him back just a minute later in a practically traced action.
Griezmann
took advantage of the forward defense of the yellows to jump at the right moment in search of a ball from
Mingueza
. With the arrival of
Albiol
and the departure of Asenjo, and without a partner to attend, the Frenchman shot with genius and invented a precise vaseline that surpassed the goalkeeper and kissed the net. In the second he read the intention to
Foyth
and intercepted the Argentine's pass to his goalkeeper to complete the comeback and pull the car on a discreet Messi's afternoon.
Villarreal tried in the second half against a Barcelona somewhat more withdrawn and less incisive on the sides, without
Dest
and with an
Alba
more pending to stop the bustling Chukwueze, the most toned of the yellows.
In another of his mischiefs, Emery's men had the best option for a tie but
Capoue's
shot
was taken out by Ter Stegen with his foot.
He was also able to sentence Barça in a counterattack that De Jong failed to define well with a Vaseline that went out for very little, already in the final stretch.
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Antoine Griezmann
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