Villarreal defeat Alaves 3-1 to maintain La Liga title challenge

Villarreal secured a comfortable 3-1 win against Alaves on Saturday, pulling ahead of Atletico Madrid in the third position of La Liga and keeping their bid alive for the Spanish championship.

Goals from Alberto Moleiro, Gerard Moreno, and Georges Mikautadze all came in the second period, reducing the gap to league toppers Barcelona to eight points, with Villarreal having one match less than the Catalan side.

The team now leads Atletico by three points and trails second-placed Real Madrid by four, both of whom have completed an additional fixture.

"We hope we're capable of winning (our game in hand) too and adding three more points to this extraordinary first half of the season," Villarreal manager Marcelino Garcia Toral stated to DAZN.

The leading duo, Barcelona and Real Madrid, will face off in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday in Saudi Arabia.

Alaves managed to hold off the home side effectively during a first half with limited scoring opportunities, yet Villarreal raised their intensity following the break.

"It's true that in January, I don't know if it's because of the weather making your legs cold and your mind cold, but teams are often inconsistent," Marcelino remarked.

"In the second half we had put together some superb moves, and we scored three beautiful goals."

Creative midfielder Moleiro has shone brightly over the past few weeks, so it came as little shock when he netted the opener just after the 49-minute mark.

Moleiro elegantly bent in his eighth strike of the campaign from just outside the penalty area after the ball fell favourably at his feet.

Merely six minutes on, experienced forward Moreno blasted in the next goal, marking his return to scoring since November.

Marcelino's squad added a third via Georgian forward Mikautadze's exquisite lob, set up by a clever pass from Moleiro.

Villarreal were in full control until Thomas Partey lost possession awkwardly near his own box, allowing Toni Martinez to smash home and give Alaves, currently 15th, a consolation.

Having exited the Copa del Rey in the early stages and facing an imminent exit from the Champions League, Villarreal now prioritise La Liga above all.

The Yellow Submarine have yet to claim the league crown, and while they are long shots, this result has kept their dreams of an improbable triumph on track.

"We hoped to do better in the Champions League (but) we're alive in La Liga and we want to enjoy ourselves and keep adding points like we've been doing," Villarreal full-back Juan Foyth shared with DAZN.