FC Barcelona lost more ground in their league campaign as a 1-1 draw with Villarreal has put them five points behind leaders, Real Madrid, who have a game in hand. It was supposed to be a tough night for the Catalans as Villarreal are pretty strong on home soil and also have conceded the fewest goals in La Liga this season.
Nicola Sansone gave the hosts a lead after a stunning counter attack combined with a smart finish made it possible for the Submarines.
It was looking all gloom and doom for the Catalans but Lionel Messi stood up yet again to rescue a point for the European giants. He scored a beautiful free kick in the 89th minute to salvage a draw. Jaume Costa was sent off in stoppage time as the game between the two sides had everything on display.
It was an eventful game which involved three penalty appeals, a dozen of missed chances and an act of frustration after the final whistle by Gerrard Pique which will be our talking points from the exhilarating match between Villarreal and Barcelona:
#1 All is not well at FC Barcelona
It is hard to fathom that this same team under the same manager won the treble in 2014-15. The Catalans look a shadow of their famed themselves and now with possibly eight points behind in the title race, FC Barcelona will have to turn the tide soon to have a successful season.
Some players look tired, some completely out of form and it is performances like these which invite criticism on the manager.
Luis Enrique has admitted that his future hangs in the balance and that he may leave when his contract expires in the summer. If the difference goes on to take a two digit lead for Real, it will be curtains on Barcelona's 2016-17 La Liga.
#2 Villarreal had their ground renamed
With the owners and La Liga top officials in attendance, Villarreal renamed their famous ground from El Madrigal to Estadio de La Ceramica. The fifth placed team in Spain will now have their stadium named after their sponsor, Pamesa Cerámica. It is a ridiculous decision to have a monumental stadium in Spain to have such a rather funny name.
Jokes apart, Villarreal have always presented a daunting task to teams travelling to their home ground. It is a small city of 50,000 people with 22,500 attending every home game. Even after the name change, a raucous welcome should be expected along with a lively atmosphere in every home game of the Submarines.
#3 When will Neymar's goal drought end?
It was against Manchester City in October that Neymar scored his last goal for his team in any competition. He has now gone 11 games without a goal which reflects Barcelona's struggles this season. Neymar was a threat at all times to Villarreal's defence and created many opportunities, but still couldn’t find the back of the net.
He was abysmal in front of goal as the Brazilian missed two clear chances to put his side ahead in the first half.
After the match, Luis Enrique said, "Neymar looks really good. He's going to score a lot of goals, for sure." He last scored in the league against Celta Vigo on October 2 and will be disappointed with himself as his team badly needs him in this difficult patch of time.
#4 Referee was again the centre of attention
Ignacio Iglesias, the official on the night, put in a disappointing show where his performance will be talked about much more than any player from the two sides; the last thing any referee needs.
The match had three penalty shouts; two to Barcelona and one to Villarreal which should have been awarded.
It seemed that the referee had closed his eyes for handballs as he shockingly denied two handball incidents in which the one involving Bruno Soriano trying to stop Messi's shot with his hand would have been given as a penalty even by a 10-year-old. He also failed to see Javier Mascherano handling the ball and one more foul in Villarreal's box.
#5 Gerrard Pique might be in even more trouble
Pique was reported to be under Spanish FA's radar after he made some controversial statements in the midweek Copa Del Rey games. His side were denied a penalty against Athletic Bilbao as he had said, “We know how this works”. It was said in reference to Real Madrid's penalty against Sevilla which was yet another shocking decision by the referee.
After the final whistle against Villarreal, Pique walked to the stand where the Real Madrid supporting La Liga president was sitting. He walked up to the stand and said, "Did you see that? Yes you, you." He was pointing to the director's position.
The defender was furious after the referee's decision not to give Barcelona a penalty for Bruno's infringement. This action from Pique might see him get a hefty fine and also a possible ban for his previous statements.
