Ernesto Valverde’s Barcelona thrashed Villarreal 5-1 in Wednesday’s La Liga clash at the Camp Nou. Ousmane Dembele scored twice and Lionel Messi added to his
league-leading tally as Barca stayed on track to finish unbeaten in the
Spanish league.
Philippe Coutinho and Paulinho also scored for Barcelona, which has
already won the title but are still trying to become the first team to
go through the entire season unbeaten in the league’s current format.
With two matches left in the La Liga, Barcelona reached 90 points, 15 more than second-place Atletico.
Valverde’s side will play their final two La Liga games against Levante and Real Sociedad.
Meanwhile, a depleted Real Madrid, without their star player,
Cristiano Ronaldo and many other regular first team starters, lost 3-2
at Sevilla to remain in third place in the La Liga table behind Atletico
Madrid.
It was an eventful night for captain, Sergio Ramos, who missed a penalty, converted a penalty and scored an own-goal.
Wissam Ben Yedder and Miguel Layun put Sevilla ahead in the first
half, and the hosts added to the lead with an own-goal by Ramos while he
tried to block a cross.
Ramos, a former Sevilla player who is often jeered by the crowd when
he plays in Seville, missed his first penalty attempt by sending the
ball onto the crossbar early in the second half.
The defender converted from the spot in the final minute of stoppage
time, not long after Borja Mayoral scored Madrid’s first goal in the
87th.