Barcelona will be presented the La Liga trophy at the end of their game against Villarreal on Sunday evening, having sealed the title with a 2-0 win over Espanyol in the Catalan derby on Thursday.
Goals from La Masia gems Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez got the job done for the Blaugranas with a few games to spare.
Barca will take on Villarreal at the Estadi Olimpic in celebratory mood, but the visitors will have their own target.
The Yellow Submarine are one win away from finishing in the La Liga top five, which will confirm their participation in next season’s Champions League.
If results elsewhere go in their favour, a draw might be enough for Marcelino’s side, but they’d be out to ruin the champions’ party this weekend.
Nevertheless, the demand for Barcelona tickets will be at an all-time high on Seatsnet.com this weekend, with fans eager to see Hansi Flick’s side lift the title.
Match Preview
Barca got one hand on the La Liga title after coming from behind to beat Real Madrid 4-3 at the Estadi Olympic.
They were seconds away from being crowned La Liga champions while second-placed Real Madrid were being held by Mallorca.
Los Blancos came back to win the game to delay Barca’s coronation, but Flick’s side finally got over the line with a routine win in the Catalan derby, and it was only fitting that the La Masia boys made the difference.
Barca’s frustrating financial situation has forced them to turn to their world-class academy over the past few years, and they’ve unleashed a handful of gems that are on their way to becoming world-beaters.
After clinching the La Liga title, Barca have now completed a fantastic domestic treble, where they won the Supercopa de Espana and Copa del Rey.
The only blemish in an otherwise outstanding debut campaign for Flick came in the Champions League, where his side fell short at the penultimate hurdle.
The Blaugranas had swept past every opponent they faced, but were sent packing in the semi-final by an Inter Milan side brimming with experience.
Both sides produced an absolute Champions League classic, scoring 13 goals between them over the two legs as Inter won 7-6 on aggregate.
Nevertheless, Barca will return to a renovated Spotify Camp Nou as treble winners next season, a fitting way to kick off a new era in the iconic venue.
Given the depth and youth of their squad, you wouldn’t put it past this Barca side to dominate the Spanish top flight for the next few years.
Madrid are making adjustments to make sure their miserable 2024/25 campaign is a one-off, with three new faces already set to join the club, including new manager Xabi Alonso.
Barca will figure out a way to keep their fierce rivals at bay. But for now, their attention is fixed on wrapping up the season on a high.
The Blaugranas will round off their campaign away at Athletic Club next weekend, but celebrations will kick off this Sunday when they’re officially crowned kings of Spain.
The spotlight will be on Barca on Sunday, but Villarreal also have every reason to be proud of their accomplishment this season.
The Yellow Submarines have taken 64 points from 36 games and sit comfortably in fifth place on the La Liga table, five points clear of Real Betis in sixth.
That cushion puts them on the cusp of Champions League football, which would be an outstanding achievement for Marcelino and his troops.
A positive result will confirm their place, and Villarreal head into Sunday’s contest with the wind in their sails.
They head into the penultimate round of the season riding a four-game winning streak, having seen off Espanyol, Osasuna, Girona, and Leganes.
After taking on Barca, they’ll wrap up the season at home to Sevilla, giving the fans one final taste of attacking football for the season.
Villarreal have been one of the most entertaining teams to watch this season.
They’ve netted 64 goals, making them the third-best attacking team in the league. Only the champions (97) and runners-up (74) can boast a better record.
However, they haven’t been particularly rock solid at the back. They’ve conceded 47 goals – the highest of any team currently in the top six.
Villarreal’s head-to-head record against Barca is a mixed bag. When both sides locked horns at the Estadio de la Ceramica, Villarreal were handed a 5-1 thrashing.
But they famously beat Barca 5-3 in this exact fixture last year. Interestingly, their last three league wins against the Catalan giants have all come away from home.
That trend, coupled with the potential of Barca reeling from celebratory hangover, tips the scales in favour of Marcelino’s side, who have the second-best away record in the league this season.
They’ve taken 33 points from 18 games on the road – only Sunday’s hosts have – proving that they can rise to the occasion in the tough environments.
They’ll need to prove that again this weekend to cement their place in next season’s Champions League.
Key Stats
Barca have always been the dominant force in this fixture, and the numbers back up that claim.
Both sides have faced off 51 times. Villarreal have come out on top just nine times – a mere drop in the bucket compared to Barca’s 32 wins (D10).
When the metric is narrowed down to just La Liga, Barca’s record is even more impressive. They’ve won 18 of their last 23 meetings with Villarreal.
Fortunately, the Yellow Submarines have started putting up a fight, especially at the home of the champions.
After recording just one win in 19 previous away league games against Barca, they’ve now won two of their last three visits, which is an encouraging sign for a side often seen as underdogs in this fixture.
However, getting a win against Barca will be extremely difficult for Marcelino’s side, considering the Catalan giants are unbeaten in their last 17 league games.
That accounts for their longest unbeaten streak in La Liga since 2021. Barca’s title win strengthens their status as the dominant force in Spain.
This is their 12th league win in the 21st century. Not only do they have the most league titles in this century, but they only have one fewer than all other teams put together.
Team News
Barca will welcome Inigo Martinez back into their squad after serving a suspension against Espanyol.
But Ronald Araujo is a doubt due to a muscle issue. Jules Kounde, Ferran Torres, and Marc Bernal are also unavailable.
Meanwhile, Villarreal will miss Kiko Femenia, Raul Albiol, Thierno Barry, and Ilias Akhomach.
Barcelona possible starting line-up:
(4-2-3-1): Wojciech Szczesny; Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Alejandro Balde; Frenkie de Jong, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Raphinha; Robert Lewandowski.
Villarreal possible starting line-up:
(4-2-3-1): Luiz Junior; Juan Foyth, Willy Kambwala, Logan Costa, Alfonso Pedraza; Pape Gueye, Dani Parejo; Nicolas Pepe, Alejandro Baena, Yeremy Pino; Ayoze Perez.
