GOALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!! SUAREZ SCORES!!! INCREDIBLE SCENES!!! 4-4!!!! Barcelona rescue a point at the death to deny Villarreal an important three points. Pedraza fails to clear the danger from a Barcelona corner and Suarez pounces on the loose ball. He hammers a low strike towards the bottom corner with his left boot and it flies past Asenjo. It was struck superbly and gave the keeper no chance. Somehow the Catalan club avoid defeat.
90' +1
S. Cáseres gets yellow.
L. Suárez gets yellow.
Suarez is booked for an appeal to the referee.
Caseres is booked for a challenge on Alba.
90'
L. Messi has scored a goal for Barcelona!
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!! MESSI SCORES!!! BARCELONA HAVE LIFE!!! 4-3!!! Of course the Argentine finds the net to set up a tense finale. It's a super effort from Messi as he curls his effort towards the left side of the goal. The ball strikes the inside of the post and nestles into the back of the net. Game back on!
89'
Messi twists and turns on the edge of the box and goes down under Ruiz's challenge. Barcelona are awarded a free-kick in the Argentine's favourite spot in the 'D'.
88'
Chukwueze comes off the field as Bonera comes on to shore up the Villarreal defence.
87'
D. Bonera enters the game and replaces S. Chukwueze.
86'
Álvaro González gets a second yellow card and is sent off.
OFF! Gonzalez puts his team under unneccessary pressure with a late dismissal. He was already on a booking and flew into a challenge with Suarez. The referee had no alternative but to send the defender on his way.
85'
Sergi Roberto gets yellow.
The procession of bookings continue as Sergi Roberto is yellow carded for a loose challenge.
84'
L. Messi gets yellow.
Messi joins his team-mate in the book for his appeal to the referee.
Minute
Description
83'
Carles Aleñá gets yellow.
Alena goes into the book for a late lunge on Iborra on the edge of the Villarreal box.
80'
C. Bacca has scored a goal for Villarreal! Assist by Santi Cazorla.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! BACCA MAKES IT FOUR!!!! 4-2 VILLARREAL!! WHAT A PERFORMANCE!!! The league leaders are imploding here as the home side take a huge stride towards the three points. Cazorla releases Bacca through the middle with a delightful throughball. The striker still has a lot to do, but he holds his composure to round Ter Stegen before slotting the ball into the back of the net. An incredible second-half display from Calleja's men.
Cazorla releases the run of Bacca with a sublime pass and the striker notches his side's fourth with a composed finish.
78'
Malcom makes a run into the left inside channel, but he is repelled by Funes Mori. The Brazilian was offside anyway, highlighting Barcelona's struggles in the final third in the second period.
77'
A. Vidal gets yellow.
Vidal goes into the book for clipping Caseres late. He will miss the Atletico game now.
75'
WIDE! Messi runs at the Villarreal defence before finding Malcom in space in the left inside channel. He goes for the strike on his left foot, only to drill his effort into the side-netting.
74'
C. Bacca enters the game and replaces K. Toko-Ekambi.
Ekambi makes way after a good performance to be replaced by Bacca.
73'
Carles Aleñá enters the game and replaces Arthur.
I. Rakitić enters the game and replaces Sergio Busquets.
Barcelona are all over the place at the back. They've had no answer for the pace of Chukwueze and Ekambi in the final third.
Alena comes on for Arthur in the middle of the park for the visitors.
Busquets is withdrawn for Rakitic. Valverde needs answers from his bench.
72'
Villarreal open up the visitors with a flowing move across the pitch. Cazorla threads the ball through to Ekambi on the left flank. He cuts inside to shoot on his right foot, only to fire a tame effort straight at Ter Stegen.
66'
Ekambi and Chukwueze combine on the counter for the home side. The former surges into the box and tries to beat the challenge of Umtiti. He goes down in the box under the Frenchman's challenge, although the referee points only for a goal-kick. There was minimal contact from the Barcelona defender.
64'
OVER! Suarez snatches at a volley from the edge of the box, drilling his attempt over the bar after Malcom knocked down Messi's cross into his path.
63'
S. Cáseres enters the game and replaces Manu Morlanes.
Morlanes is withdrawn after his assist to be replaced by Caseres.
62'
Iborra has scored a goal for Villarreal! Assist by Manu Morlanes.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! VILLARREAL COMPLETE THE COMEBACK!! IT'S 3-2!!!!! Iborra puts his team ahead with a fine finish from close range to complete an incredible turnaround here. Morlanes spotted the midfielder's forward run behind the Barca defence in the left inside channel. Ter Stegen committed himself and the Spaniard lifted his effort over the keeper and into the right-bottom corner. What a game.
Morlanes spots the run of Iborra and releases the midfielder in behind to score.
61'
L. Messi enters the game and replaces Philippe Coutinho.
Coutinho is withdrawn for Messi. The visitors need their talisman here.
60'
Barcelona are yet to hit their stride since the break and Valverde has called for Messi from the bench.
58'
Funes Mori does well at the back to sniff out a Barcelona attack down the left flank, getting to the ball ahead of Arthur before clearing the danger downfield.
56'
Suarez collects in a dangerous position once again, but on this occasion his pass through to Malcom is cut out by Pedraza.
55'
Suarez and Alba combine as the Spaniard releases the forward behind the Villarreal defence. He takes a touch, but overruns the ball under pressure from Ruiz.
53'
OVER! Cazorla floats the ball into the box for Gonzalez to attack, but the defender can only power his effort well over the bar. Alba can breathe again.
52'
Lenglet clips the ball back to Alba on the byline and the full-back lets it go, believing that it took a touch off Chukwueze. However, the linesman flags for a corner rather than a goal-kick.
50'
K. Toko-Ekambi has scored a goal for Villarreal! Assist by S. Chukwueze.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!! EKAMBI EQUALISES!!! 2-2!! Villarreal are back in the game as the forward finds the back of the net, although it's not a great look for Ter Stegen. Ekambi breaks down the right flank and keeps the ball in play. He speeds away from Lenglet before clipping a strike towards goal. Ter Stegen expects him to go across the face of goal to find Chukwueze, but he goes for the corner and finds the net. A fine effort if Ekambi meant it.
Chukwueze releases his team-mate down the right flank and is rewarded as Ekambi scores.
47'
Chukwueze goes on a surge down the right flank, but his charge is halted for an offside decision as he latched on to Cazorla's pass.
46'
We're back underway at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
45' +3
HALF-TIME: VILLARREAL 1-2 BARCELONA
45' +2
R. Funes Mori gets yellow.
Funes Mori brings down Suarez on the charge. He goes into the book and hands Barca one final shooting attempt from distance before the end of the half.
45'
There will be two minutes of added time.
Iborra and Pedraza lunge in late on Malcom. There's a mild melee between the two teams before the referee brings it under control. However, he keeps his cards in his pocket.
43'
Cazorla lines up the free-kick and he goes for a low strike towards the bottom corner, but his attempt strikes his own team-mate Gaspar. The block allows Barca to clear their lines with ease.
42'
C. Lenglet gets yellow.
Lenglet is booked for his challenge on Chukwueze.
Chukwueze continues his impressive outing with a surging run at the Barca defence. He raids to the edge of the box before being fouled by Lenglet. Villarreal have a huge opportunity from the free-kick.
39'
Sergio Busquets gets yellow.
Busquets loses possession and in his bid to win back the ball he fouls Morlanes, going into the book in the process.
38'
Barcelona will be frustrated that they've allowed control of the game to evade them after taking a 2-0 lead. Valverde will not be happy with his team at the back.
36'
Álvaro González gets yellow.
Gonzalez goes into the book for bringing down Coutinho earlier in the Barca move.
OFFSIDE! Malcom probes down the right flank and goes for the inside offload to Suarez, but the Uruguayan is caught offside. Replays show that the striker in fact was not offside, although his effort was saved by Asenjo anyway.
32'
Villarreal keep the attack alive, although Lenglet is down in the box. Chukwueze plays on and runs around the injured Barcelona defender. The visitors are able to clear the danger, and they're not happy with the referee and Villarreal for playing on.
29'
Malcom collects on the right flank and he tries a trick or two to get past Pedraza. He clips the ball into the box, but Asenjo is able to gather the delivery with ease.
27'
Barcelona have to be careful not to be too overconfident in their play. The home side have pace on the counter with Chukwueze and have already exposed the Catalan club.
25'
It has been an interesting spectacle in the opening 25 minutes. It has not been a clinic of quality defending as both teams have struggled in their defensive duties.
23'
S. Chukwueze has scored a goal for Villarreal!
Villarreal are in danger of being blown away by the ferocity of the Barcelona attack here. The home side are putting up little to no resistance at the back.
Coutinho lines up a strike from distance as no one closes down the midfielder, but he drills his effort straight at Asenjo.
GOALLLLLLLLLL!!!! CHUKWUEZE GETS A GOAL BACK!!! 2-1!!!! Villarreal are back in the game completely against the run of play. Chukwueze runs at Lenglet down the right inside channel and fires the ball low towards the target. His effort takes a slight deflection before striking the post. The forward is alert to pounce on the rebound and with his left boot, he places his strike into the opposite corner. Game on.
16'
Malcom has scored a goal for Barcelona! Assist by A. Vidal.
Vidal is afforded too much time by the Villarreal defence. He picks out the run of Malcom at the back post and the Brazilian converts the opportunity.
GOALLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!! BARCELONA NOTCH THEIR SECOND!!! 2-0!!! Malcom notches his first LaLiga goal with a finely placed header beyond Asenjo to put his team in command. Vidal was afforded space and time on the right flank to lift a cross to the back post. Malcom was there and he angled his header to find the corner. A fine finish from the Brazilian.
12'
Philippe Coutinho has scored a goal for Barcelona! Assist by Malcom.
It has been an open start to the contest and the home side are not backing down from the challenge.
Malcom races into space down the right flank to collect Sergi Roberto's pass before teeing up Coutinho for a simple conversion.
GOALLLLLLLLLLL!!!! COUTINHO PUTS BARCA AHEAD!! 1-0!!! The visitors cut open the Villarreal defence with ease down the right flank, which allows Malcom to tee up Coutinho for a simple tap-in. Sergi Roberto starts the move with a ball down the right flank for Malcom. He collects and sprints into the right inside channel before placing a low ball across the face of goal for Coutinho to convert. A VAR check confirms that neither Barcelona player was offside. It was all too easy for Valverde's men.
10'
The end-to-end nature of the game continues. Suarez tries an ambitious strike from the half-way line that has Asenjo worried for a second before he claims the ball under his bar. Ekambi then threatens with a probing run in from the left flank, only to curl his strike comfortably over the bar.
6'
Cazorla floats the resulting free-kick forward into the box and Lenglet rises to head clear. He misplaces his header and it forces Umtiti to put the ball behind.
5'
Ekambi does well for his team to win a free-kick off Umtiti in the middle of the park. The forward faces an important battle in between Umtiti and Lenglet on his own this evening.
4'
Villarreal have been sloppy in possession in the early stages of the game. They cannot afford to make simple mistakes against the league leaders.
1'
We're underway in this LaLiga clash.
Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the LaLiga clash between Villarreal and Barcelona at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
Lionel Messi kept Barcelona on course for the LaLiga title with his match-winning brace to see off Espanyol at the weekend. Barca had been frustrated by their nearest rivals for the opening 70 minutes before the Argentine produced a moment of magic to break the deadlock and then notched a second to secure the victory. Barca are well ahead of Atletico in second place, but have to keep their foot down to ensure that the Spanish crown remains at Camp Nou.
VILLARREAL (3-4-3): Sergio Asenjo; Alvaro Gonzalez, Ramiro Funes Mori, Victor Ruiz; Mario Gaspar, Manuel Morlanes, Santi Cazorla, Alfonso Pedraza; Samuel Chukwueze, Karl Toko Ekambi, Vicente Iborra.
Villarreal subs: Santiago Caseres, Carlos Bacca, Andres Fernandez, Raba, Daniele Bonera, Ivan Martin, Xavier Quintilla.
BARCELONA (4-3-3): Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet, Jordi Alba; Arturo Vidal, Sergio Busquets, Arthur; Malcom, Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho.
Barcelona subs: Nelson Semedo, Gerard Pique, Ivan Rakitic, Lionel Messi, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Carles Alena, Inaki Pena.
Villarreal suffered a damaging defeat in their battle against the drop from the Primera Division, losing 3-2 on the road to relegation rivals Celta Vigo last time out. Javier Calleja's men took a 2-0 lead in the first half thanks to goals from Karl Toko Ekambi and Alfonso Pedraza. However, Iago Aspas and Maxi Gomez brought the home side level before Aspas scored a winner from the penalty spot four minutes from time. The result ended a winning run of five matches in all competitions for El Submarino Amarillo, and left them only one point above Celta Vigo in 17th place in the table.
Javier Calleja will also be disappointed with his team's defending in the first half. They were in the game in the early stages, having put the visitors under pressure. However, two lapses allowed Barca to take command of the game. A miss from Coutinho gave Villarreal a second life and Chukwueze got the home side back into the contest. The forward will be vital in the second half if Villarreal are to complete a comeback.
Barcelona have momentum for their crucial top-of-the-table clash against Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou on Saturday. Villarreal face Real Betis on the road on Sunday.
Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Until next time, goodbye.
Commentary
More…