Villarreal pulled off a thrilling 3-2 victory over La Liga champions Barcelona on Sunday, spoiling their title celebrations at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. The win confirmed Villarreal’s place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Early Goal and Quick Turnaround
The match started with a bang as Ayoze Pérez gave Villarreal an early lead in the 4th minute. However, Barcelona hit back before halftime. Lamine Yamal scored the equalizer in the 38th minute, and Fermín López put the hosts ahead 2-1 just before the break.
Villarreal’s Second-Half Surge
Villarreal refused to back down. Just five minutes into the second half, Santi Comesaña made it 2-2. Then in the 80th minute, substitute Tajon Buchanan fired home the winner, sealing a dramatic comeback and all three points for the Yellow Submarine.
League Standings and Qualification
Despite the defeat, Barcelona still top the La Liga table with 85 points. Villarreal’s win takes them to 67 points from 37 matches, pushing them to fifth place and securing their Champions League qualification.
Other La Liga Results
Elsewhere on Sunday, Real Madrid beat Sevilla 2-0 with goals from Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham. Atlético Madrid crushed Real Betis 4-1 thanks to a brace from Julián Álvarez. Athletic Bilbao edged Valencia 1-0 to maintain their strong finish to the season.
Along with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal will represent Spain in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League.
