Barcelona come from behind twice to defeat Villarreal in five-goal thriller

Lionel Messi, centre, celebrates with Neymar, left, and Rafinha, after his stunning strike handed Barcelona a 3-2 lead. All three players pictured were on the scoresheet on Sunday night. Alejandro GarShow more

Barcelona 3-2 Villarreal

A harsh winter chill enveloped Barcelona and ensured Camp Nou’s lowest home league crowd of the season, but 60,005 were rewarded with a superb game as Barcelona twice came from behind to defeat Villarreal 3-2.

Victory made it eight straight wins in league and cup matches for the Catalans and brought an end to Villarreal’s 18-game unbeaten run. With Spain’s top four all winning and fifth placed Valencia playing tonight, Luis Enrique’s side stay second. Villarreal remain sixth, but they continue to impress with their attacking mentality which twice and gave Barça a shock as they became the first team to score more than one goal at Camp Nou this term.

“It was a very positive match except for the goals we conceded,” said Enrique. “The 0-1 disorientated us and we wasted 10 minutes getting back into the game, but the result indicates that we’re prepared to overcome any situation.”

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No La Liga team had managed to avoid defeat as many times away from home as Villarreal, who arrived with a solitary away loss. Despite having scored in their previous 25 games, it still surprised when Marcelino’s side went ahead. Barça had created the game’s early chances, but Luis Suarez’s profligacy continued as he lacked the sharpness in front of goal displayed last season.

Daniel Alves set the Uruguayan up with a 12th minute cross but his effort was save. Alves set up him up again eight minutes later only for Suarez to send the ball wide. His boss Enrique turned away in frustration, but two of his three brilliant strikers are in form.

It was left to a Real Madrid player to open the scoring after 29 minutes. On loan Russian striker Denis Cheryshev diverted a shot following a fast counter attack. Joel Campbell, Villarreal’s other on loan signing from Arsenal, will have appreciated the play from his seat in the stands and his new side appeared to barely miss Gabriel Paulista, the defender Villarreal sold to Arsenal as part of his transfer.

With his side ahead, coach Marcelino was true to his pre-match assertion that: “We have to make them feel uncomfortable. We need to be ready to run a lot, but we can’t only defend”, yet they conceded an untimely equaliser a minute before half-time when Messi set up a chance for Rafinha. His shot was saved before Neymar tapped in the rebound.

Villarreal retook the lead in the 51st minute when their counter attack saw Gerard Pique miscontrol the ball and former Barca player Giovanni dos Santos intercept possession. The Mexican ran towards Claudio Bravo’s goal and got the better of Pique again before switching the ball back for Argentine Luciano Vietto to knock in his 15th goal of the season.

Though it drew an ecstatic response from their bench, Villarreal’s lead would last only a minute. A 52nd minute move involving Andres Iniesta, Suarez and Messi had a happy ending when Rafinha, playing his best game in a Barça shirt, swept the ball into Sergio Asenjo’s goal.

Barca were buoyant and went ahead for the first time two minutes later. Jordi Alba ran towards the Villarreal goal, squared a pass to Suarez who fed the ball towards Messi. The Argentine, back in superb form, curled a shot from the edge of the area with his weaker right foot for his 32nd goal of the season. It was also his 342 goal in his last 342 Barça games. More importantly, his side were ahead for the first time, though Villarreal’s attacking game didn’t change.

Few teams play with two strikers at Camp Nou and the boldness of the Yellow Submarines was vindicated. They thought they’d made it 3-3 after 64 minutes through Victor Ruiz, but the effort was offside. At the other end, Barça counter attacked, nearly scored and appealed for a penalty after Asenjo’s challenge on Neymar, but, somehow, the score stayed at 3-2.

“Messi again absolutely decided game,” sighed Marcelino, who’d hugged Enrique in the tunnel after the game. “He created the 1-1. And later did most damage.”

Marcelino doesn’t have Messi, but his side is stocked with wonderful footballers.

The sides meet twice in the next month in the semi-final of the Copa del Rey.

Given their quality and conviction to both attacking football and exploiting space, those fans who stayed away shouldn’t may want to consider attending.

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