The headline fixture of Round 26 in La Liga delivered both drama and dominance as second-placed Barcelona brushed aside third-placed Villarreal 4–1 to reignite the title race with Real Madrid.

The breakthrough arrived on 28 minutes and it was a moment of pure class. After a clever assist from Fermín López, teenage sensation Lamine Yamal drilled a precise effort into the corner from inside the box. Ten minutes later, the youngster doubled the lead in even more spectacular fashion, bending a sublime strike into the top corner.

Villarreal threatened a response immediately after the restart when Pape Gueye pulled one back, injecting fresh belief into the contest and briefly unsettling the home side.

But the evening belonged to Lamine Yamal. On 69 minutes, the 18-year-old prodigy completed his hat-trick with composure beyond his years, calmly finishing one-on-one to restore Barcelona’s two-goal cushion and effectively end the contest.

Deep into stoppage time, Robert Lewandowski added the final flourish, converting from close range after a pinpoint delivery by Jules Koundé to seal a commanding 4–1 victory.

2025-26, Spain - La Liga

Barcelona - Villarreal 4:1 (2:0)
Goals: Yamal, 28 (1:0); Yamal, 37 (2:0); Gueye P.A., 49 (2:1); Yamal, 69 (3:1); Lewandowski, 90 (4:1)

Barcelona: García Jo.; Balde Al.; Cubarsí; Kounde; Garcia E.; Fermin Fermin; Olmo (Pedri, 59); Bernal (Araujo R., 67); Yamal (Bardagji, 73); Raphinha (Rashford, 73); Torres F. (Lewandowski, 67)
Substitution: Pedri (from 59); Araujo R. (from 67); Lewandowski (from 67); Rashford (from 73); Bardagji (from 73)
Bench: Szczesny; Cancelo; Casado M.
Yellow Cards: Bernal 53; Raphinha 56

Villarreal: Júnior L.; Navarro; Veiga; Mourino; Cardona S. (Alfon, 80); Gueye P.A.; Comesaña (Dani Parejo, 80); Moleiro (Pedraza A., 67); Mikautadze; Pépé N. (Oluwaseyi, 84); Perez A. (Buchanan T., 67)
Substitution: Pedraza A. (from 67); Buchanan T. (from 67); Dani Parejo (from 80); Alfon (from 80); Oluwaseyi (from 84)
Bench: Tenas; Freeman; Marín Ra.; Partey T.
Yellow Cards: Pedraza A. 68