Barcelona keep title hopes alive with impressive win over Villarreal

Antoine Griezmann, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez all shone as Barcelona claimed a 4-1 win over Villarreal to keep their slim La Liga title hopes alive.

The Catalans came into this game at the Estadio de la Ceramica having watched Real Madrid open up a seven-point gap at the top of La Liga earlier in the day, but Quique Setien’s side kept on the tail of their rivals with an impressive display.

It took Barca just three minutes to open the scoring, with Pau Torres inadvertently diverting a Jordi Alba cross into his own net under pressure from Griezmann. The hosts responded quickly, though, as Gerard Moreno finished high into the net after a Marc-Andre Ter Stegen save from a Santi Cazorla shot.

Suarez put the visitors in front again with an exceptional curling finish on 21 minutes before Griezmann provided the highlight of the match before the break, chipping a wonderful finish over Sergio Asenjo having been set up by Messi.

Messi looked to have added his name to the score sheet in the second half following an excellent Barcelona passing move, but VAR was used to rule it out for a marginal offside. Ansu Fati did deliver a fourth goal, coming off the bench to score with a reverse finish past Asenjo late on, capping an impressive display from the Catalans that keeps them in the title race.

This was an extremely encouraging display from Barcelona, but many of their fans must be asking why this system has been used more often before now? With Messi as the number 10 in the ‘Iniesta Role’ and Griezmann and Suarez deployed as a central front two, with Alba providing width and support down the left wing, Barcelona played with real balance. They were unstoppable particularly in the first half. Has Setien finally cracked it?

Griezmann desperately needed a performance like this. The French striker was given only a few minutes against Atletico Madrid during the week in a move that seemed to signal that Setien saw no place for him at the Camp Nou. But played through the centre here, Griezmann thrived. There were real signs of an understanding between him and Messi and Suarez. He was everywhere. This should be the template for using Griezmann from this point on.

Villarreal - Asenjo 8, Gaspar 6, Albiol 5, Torres 4, Moreno 5, Chukwueze 5, Anguissa 5, Iborra 5, Cazorla 6, Alcacer 5, Moreno 6. Subs - Bacca 5, Gomez 5, Trigueros 5, Nino 4, Soriano 5.

Barcelona - Ter Stegen 6, Semedo 6, Lenglet 5, Pique 5, Alba 8, Roberto 7, Vidal 5, Busquets 6, Suarez 8, Messi 8, Griezmann 9. Subs - Braithwaite 5, Rakitic 6, Araujo 5, Ansu 7, Puig 6.

3’ GOAL! Villarreal 0-1 Barcelona: It's an early opener for Barcelona! Roberto drives forward, feeds Alba and then the pass is made to the near post for Griezmann. The French striker looked to have flicked it past Asenjo, but replays show it actually diverted into the back of the net off Torres!

14’ GOAL! Villarreal 1-1 Barcelona: The home side are back on level terms! Alcacer broke in behind the Barcelona defence, he picked out Cazorla with an excellent pass across the box, his shot was saved by Ter Stegen, but Moreno was on hand to finish the rebound! That was their first attack!

21’ GOAL! Villarreal 1-2 Barcelona: What a goal to put Barcelona back in front! What a game this is! Messi wins the ball in the middle of the pitch, he drives forward with it at his feet, he feeds Suarez and the Uruguayan striker bends a finish into the far corner of the net! Great goal!

45’ GOAL! Villarreal 1-3 Barcelona: Incredible from Griezmann! What a goal from Barcelona! Griezmann, Messi and Suarez all link up as Barca come surging forward with Messi laying it back for Griezmann and the French forward chips a wonderful finish over Asenjo and into the back of the net!

69’ GOOOOOO… NO! Barcelona look a completely different team tonight! What an amazing goal! Another one! Roberto is played to the byline, he cuts back the pass for Messi and the Argentine finishes into the back of the net. What an exceptional passing move from the Catalans! But it’s ruled out for offside! What a shame!

86’ GOAL! Villarreal 1-4 Barcelona: Lovely goal from Ansu and that's the points in the bag for Barcelona! The teenager had Messi in the middle waiting for the pass, but he takes on the shot himself and finds the near post with a reversed finish that caught Asenjo off guard.

Lionel Messi has assisted three of the nine La Liga goals Antoine Griezmann has scored this season, more than any other Barcelona teammate.

Messi has now provided 19 assists for Barcelona in La Liga this season, his best ever return in a top-flight season.