Jul 18, 2022; Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA; FC Barcelona forward Raphinha (left) and forward Ansu Fati (10) walk on the field during an open training session before a friendly match against Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Barcelona’s Last Win Of 2025

Originally posted on Stadium Rant | By Stefania Zajdel | Last updated Dec 22, 2025 3:52 AM ET

For their last game in 2025, FC Barcelona was set to play against Villarreal CF, the team third in the La Liga standings. Having recovered after their November slump, the Catalan team wanted to end the year on a high. Did they manage to show their best?

Villareal’s Tough Start

Villareal began the game strongly, noting multiple early attacks at Joan Garcia’s goal. They were giving Barcelona a hard time, and yet it was Blaugrana who opened the score. Ten minutes after kickoff, Raphinha was fouled by his opponents’ net, and a penalty was called for Barcelona. The man who won it was also the one who converted it into a steady goal, putting his team in the lead.

The change in score only awakened Villareal’s hunger. In the 17th minute, they managed to get the ball past Garcia, but the shot was offside. After the failed attempt, they continued performing attack after attack on the Catalans, but were unable to convert any of them into a goal. The situation became more dire for the Valencian team when, seven minutes before the end of the first half, Renato Veiga received a red card. It was brought on by a particularly aggressive foul on Lamine Yamal.

Barcelona’s Steady Finish

The start of the second half wasn’t the most entertaining, but the tensions returned in the 63rd minute. It was then that an incredibly messy situation by Villareal’s net led to a goal being scored by Lamine Yamal. The situation brought back some of the hosts’ early determination. They increased the intensity of the match, once again performing attack after attack and giving Garcia a chance to show his goalkeeping prowess.

Jul 29, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; FC Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele (7) celebrates with FC Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong (21) and FC Barcelona defender Jules Kounde (23) after scoring a goal during the first half against Real Madrid at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The game slowed down in its last quarter. Although Villareal still tried to find the contact goal, they couldn’t quite get close enough to become a true threat. At the same time, Barcelona didn’t rest on its laurels. Despite the lead, they still tried to find a third goal up until the very last minute. Tried hard as both teams might have, the score was stubbornly stuck at 0:2.

End Of My Barcelona Rant

With the victory , Barcelona secured its position at the top of La Liga’s standings. They are going into 2026 four points ahead of Real Madrid. Their next game, the Catalan derby with Espanyol, will take place in the first week of January.

This article first appeared on Stadium Rant and was syndicated with permission.

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