Barcelona's Raphinha, Yamal strike in Villarreal win

Barcelona's wingers Raphinha and Lamine Yamal helped the Catalan club extend their lead at the summit of La Liga by four points thanks to a 2-0 victory over 10-man Villarreal on Sunday.

The Brazilian forward Raphinha earned and scored a penalty early on, while Villarreal's Renato Veiga received a red card just before the break for a reckless challenge on the young Yamal.

The 18-year-old found the net for Barcelona's second goal during the second period, allowing Hansi Flick's team to pull ahead of second-placed Real Madrid and secure an eighth straight league triumph.

Villarreal dropped to fourth place after Atletico Madrid overtook them with a 3-0 success against Girona earlier in the day.

"We are pleased to end the year in first position, which was our goal, and now we can take a break," Barcelona's midfielder Frenkie de Jong said to DAZN.

"Villarreal possess quick players who counter swiftly, and we need to handle that more effectively... However, overall we dominated, and while not entirely relaxed, it was a victory we earned."

Flick had passionately supported Raphinha on Saturday following his omission from FIFA's 'The Best' team of the year announced earlier that week, and the winger soon rewarded his manager.

Raphinha delivered a dynamic performance at Villarreal's Estadio de la Ceramica, the venue for the fixture after La Liga's idea to host it in Miami was abandoned in October.

Barcelona showed weaknesses in defence and struggled to build from the back, yet the flair from wingers Raphinha and Yamal, combined with an excellent showing from goalkeeper Joan Garcia, determined the outcome of a lively match.

Jules Kounde stopped a shot from Villarreal's Ayoze Perez, then Raphinha provoked a penalty by drawing a foul from Santi Comesana.

Raphinha converted the spot-kick with assurance in the 12th minute and almost scored again with a brilliant long-range strike that hit the crossbar.

Kounde accidentally turned a cross into his own goal during Villarreal's response, but it was ruled out due to an offside in the sequence.

Veiga's rash foul

Barcelona's keeper Garcia denied Tajon Buchanan after an error by Alejandro Balde, preventing Villarreal from equalising.

The away side's task became simpler when Veiga was dismissed for a crude, delayed tackle on Yamal prior to half-time.

The title holders added their second after a melee in the penalty area, with De Jong assisting Yamal to score in the 63rd minute.

Joan Garcia produced remarkable stops to thwart Rafa Marin and Georges Mikautadze, aiding Barcelona in concluding 2026 with a win, three points, and a third shutout in their most recent three outings across competitions.

Kounde left the pitch injured late on, which might exacerbate Flick's defensive issues after Andreas Christensen was found to have a partial knee ligament tear.

Barcelona conclude the year stronger than competitors Real Madrid, who defeated Sevilla 2-0 on Saturday, though they still face several internal challenges.

"Trophies are not being awarded right now, but we are performing solidly, following a positive trajectory, leading the table, and competing in other tournaments, so we are content," De Jong continued.

Villarreal suffered their initial home league loss of the season and sit 11 points behind Barcelona, though they have two games in hand as the winter recess starts.

"The outcome stings, our first defeat at home, just before the holidays," Villarreal's midfielder Dani Parejo remarked.

"Yet we take pride in the team's effort and our approach to the match... We created numerous opportunities to lead at the interval."