The China Mail - Barca strengthen Liga lead at Villarreal, Atletico go third

Brazil international Raphinha won and converted an early penalty before Villarreal's Renato Veiga was sent off before half-time for a late lunge on teenager Yamal.

The 18-year-old slotted home Barca's second midway through the second half, as Hansi Flick's side restored their advantage on Real Madrid and won an eighth consecutive league game.

Villarreal are fourth after Atletico Madrid moved ahead of them with a comfortable 3-0 win at Girona earlier on.

"The attitude and mentality of the team is great, we're playing as one unit and that is great to see," Flick told reporters.

"It was great to win here, a huge opponent, I like this team, how they play... now we are four points ahead and this is a really good thing, also to celebrate (at) Christmas."

Flick launched into an impassioned defence of Raphinha on Saturday after he was not included in FIFA's 'The Best' team of the year earlier in the week, and the winger quickly repaid his coach.

Raphinha produced an all-action display at Villarreal's Estadio de la Ceramica, where the match was played instead of in Miami, after La Liga's plans to take this game to the United States were scrapped in October.

Barca were poor defensively and struggled in their build-up play, but the quality of wingers Raphinha and Yamal and their goalkeeper Joan Garcia's outstanding performance decided an entertaining encounter.

Raphinha drew a foul from Santi Comesana to win a penalty and dispatched it confidently in the 12th minute to send Barca ahead, and then crashed a shot off the bar from distance.

Jules Kounde deflected a cross into his own net as Villarreal fought back, but the goal was disallowed for offside in the build-up.

Barca stopper Garcia saved from Tajon Buchanan after an Alejandro Balde mistake as Villarreal almost levelled.

The visitors' job was made easier by Veiga's needless red card for an ugly lunge on Yamal before the interval.

The champions got their second goal after a scramble in the box, with Frenkie de Jong teeing up Yamal to fire home after 63 minutes.

Garcia made stunning saves to deny Rafa Marin and Georges Mikautadze to help Barca end 2026 with three points and a third clean sheet in their last three games across all competitions.

"He helped us with his saves to have this clean sheet, he's an important player for us," admitted Flick.

Kounde went off hurt before the end but the coach said he believes the defender will be fine and it was mainly cramp.

Barca finish the year in better shape than rivals Real Madrid, who beat Sevilla 2-0 on Saturday, but still with plenty of their own concerns to worry about.

"Now's not the time they're giving out the trophies, but we're doing well, on a good path, we're leaders, we're alive in (the other competitions), so we're happy," said De Jong.

- Atletico rise -

A brilliant strike from distance from Koke, Conor Gallagher's deflected effort and a late third from Antoine Griezmann pulled Atletico within six points of Barca.

Atletico secured a fourth consecutive win across all competitions on a relatively simple afternoon at Girona's modest Montilivi stadium.

"To reach where we want to be, (giving) 100 percent is not enough," said coach Diego Simeone, calling for more from his team in the new year.

"Every time we see Real Madrid and Barcelona, I think about it... we have to give 110 percent or 120 percent."

Marcos Llorente was a welcome return to the Atletico starting line-up after injury, and Simeone's team never looked likely to slip up against the team in 18th.

Koke opened the scoring with a vicious strike into the top corner when the ball fell for him outside the area, for his 50th Atletico goal.

"I don't shoot much, I'm more of an assist provider," admitted Koke.

"However when it sits up like that, I only thought about shooting and luckily it went in."

Girona almost equalised but for a spectacular save by Atletico's Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who managed to claw out an Axel Witsel effort.

Former Chelsea midfielder Gallagher netted the second and Griezmann, on a now-frequent substitute appearance, wrapped up the win by stroking home late on for his second goal in his last two games.

X.So--ThChM