Barcelona increased their advantage at the top of the Spanish championship standings from eight to 11 points over second-placed Spanish, European and World champions Real Madrid by winning this Sunday night at La Cerámica Stadium in Villarreal (Spain) the host team by 1-0, in the game of the 21st round of La Liga.
The Catalans now have 56 points and cement the lead – for now on condition, as Real Madrid have one less game (20 played), they only face the ‘red lantern’, Elche (20th) on Wednesday, 15th of this month, at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the meeting that closes this 21st round of the competition – in the table, with 11 more points than the 45 added by the ‘meringues’, who won the Club World Cup in Rabat (Morocco) on Saturday FIFA, by beating the Asian champion, Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia) in the final, by 5-3.
Against the host team, coached by Quique Setien, Xavi Hernández’s charges added their 18th victory this season in La Liga (two more draws and a single defeat, 1-3 at the Santiago Bermabéu against Real Madrid). A goal from the young Spanish international midfielder Pedri, at 18′, served by the Pole Robert Lewandowski, arrived for Barça to take the three points in their bag for Catalonia.
Villarreal, the ‘yellow submarine’, is currently in eighth place in the standings, with 31 points from 21 games.