Barcelona bids adieu to the economical season of 2025, departing from LaLiga on Christmas crack with a four-point lead over Real Madrid after beating Villarreal 0-2 at La Ceramica in a match that was originally scheduled to take place in Miami. The third Barcelona team, who is already the table-top winter champion, will now face them.

At Villarreal's surface, Barcelona had gone eighteen years without losing. With goals from Raphinha, a penalty awarded by Santi Comesana to the Brazilian player himself ( 12th minute ), and Lamine Yamal ( 63rd minute ), who finished in true futsal style, step on the ball and score with a toe-poke, they added another notch to their tally. Villalarreal entered the match with the support of six sequential LaLiga victories, but with the bittersweet taste of their Champions League removal and the shock of their Copa del Rey beat against Racing Santander. Villalarreal has been perfectly positioned among the top four this season. They succumbed once more despite having several distinct prospects, even after being reduced to ten people in the 38th minute after being sent off for a stern address on Lamine Yamal. Hansi Flick's staff, who didn't have their best, benefited from their lack of accuracy and goalkeeper Joan Garcia's performance. Even though Atletico de Madrid has two more games than Villarreal, this result moves them to second place, nine points behind Barcelona and five behind Real Madrid. After rediscovering the taste of success away from home with a 3-0 victory over Girona, Diego Pablo Simeone's team enters the crack with a smile. This time, they added the finishing touch that other teams havelacked, and they did so thanks to Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak's outstanding performance, which was one of his best saves of the year from a shot by his former teammate Axel Witsel that appeared to equalize the outstanding goal with which Koke Resurreccion opened the match ( 13th minute ). Conor Gallagher, an Englishman in charge of Nico Gonzalez ' substitution, extended the Rojiblancos ' lead with a shot from the edge of the area that deflected off Brazilian Vitor Reis in the 38th minute, and Frenchman Antoine Griezmann added the finishing touch in stoppage time (92nd minute ). After two matches without a defeat, Betis regained their winning ways to secure their spot in the Western qualification pool. They won 5-0 to fight a toothless Getafe aspect, giving them their third straight defeat. The Seville side won at La Cartuja thanks to a brace from Aitor Ruibal ( 16th and 49th minutes ). He capitalized first on a precise mix from Antony, and then he seized on the rise after the Brazilian's picture hit the post. This third purpose unquestionably sank Getafe. With vigor, Betis accomplished the task quickly and decisively. Pablo Fornals ( 52nd minute ) and the Colombian" Cucho" Hernandez completed Jose Bordalas ' side, who were outmatched in every way. Borja Mayoral missed a sentence in the 88th second, which only makes things worse. Elche continues to demonstrate its viability at home in the Martinez Valero facility with a 4-0 victory over a weak and ineffective Rayo Vallecano in its next game. Rayo Vallecano is now just three points obvious of Girona, who are now the fall corridor, after extending their six-game winless run. After six minutes, Hector Fort's side put on a gorgeous goal with the help of his own, but despite Inigo Perez's men's efforts, they lacked the necessary accuracy in the opponent's penalty area. Hector Fort injured his shoulder as he went to enjoy. Elche capitalized on this in the second half, which was clearly more successful, increasing their lead through German Valera and Uruguayan Alvaro Rodriguez ( 67th minute ). and the Portuguese Martim Neto's (1-0 ) rout to bring up Rayo's previous Elche Stadium score of 4-0.

*Based on EFE data.

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