Three talking points from Barcelona 2-3 Villarreal | OneFootball

Barcelona’s penultimate game of the season kicked off at Montjuic on Sunday evening and provided 90 entertaining minutes of football to fans across the globe.

Villarreal took the early lead at Barcelona’s home through Ayoze Perez just three minutes into the game, but Lamine Yamal then stepped up and scored a world-class goal to make it 1-1.

Fermin Lopez then helped the hosts take the lead with a great strike from outside the box just before the stroke of half-time. Villarreal, however, did not hold back after the break.

Goals from Santi Comesana and Tajon Buchanan after the break gave Villarreal the lead once more and they held on to it as Barcelona failed to mount a comeback.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points from Barcelona 2-3 Villarreal.

An immaterial result

Barcelona’s first La Liga defeat in 2025 arrived on Sunday evening but fans and players could not care less. After all, it will be a game forgotten under the cloud of euphoria currently around the city.

The Catalans sealed the league title midweek with a win over Espanyol after a heated derby and thereby mathematically clinched the title.

Last night’s match was thus their first game as proclaimed champions. Still in the hangover of their celebrations, they were unable to grab all three points.

For Villarreal, meanwhile, last night’s game was of paramount importance as they fought for a spot in the UEFA Champions League next season.

The intensity, thus, was visible in their display from start to finish as they chased the one point they needed to secure a place in the competition and they eventually left the venue with all three.

Only one game remains for Barcelona before the players embark on some much-needed rest, and the team has every right to take a step back and play second fiddle once more after all the joy they have given this term.

Fermin’s incredible impact

Fermin continues to impress. (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)

Hansi Flick has unsurprisingly preferred Dani Olmo over Fermin Lopez on the big nights for Barcelona, for it is not even a debate that the new signing is a technically superior player who thrives against low blocks.

Fermin Lopez, thus, has had a largely fringe role for Barcelona in recent games and has only come on as a substitute. Yet, his impact in those limited minutes outshines that of Olmo.

Lopez was unlucky to have a goal disallowed against Real Madrid, scored a last-minute goal for Barcelona against Espanyol and was one of the team’s best players last night against Villarreal.

The La Masia graduate was a constant nuisance in the Yellow Submarines’ area as he constantly threatened on goal, forced some sensational saves and eventually got his goal with a stunning strike from outside the box.

The recent trend has shown that Fermin is capable of stepping up and providing under pressure. He may not be as gifted as Olmo, but his passion and desire to give his all make him a standout player.

Farewell Montjuic

If everything goes as per Joan Laporta’s plan, Barcelona should return to a partially-opened Spotify Camp Nou early next season.

Word has it that the stadium will be ready by September and the Catalans will likely play away games until that point. In that sense, their journey at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys has come to an end.

For two years, the venue at Montjuic has served as a foster home for the club and hosted all of the team’s home games. The logistics for fans may have been difficult, but there is not much else one can complain about the stadium.

As the Montjuic era comes to an end, Barcelona can only look back fondly on the memories they have created at the venue.

Last season may not have been all that memorable, but it will always be the stadium in which Hansi Flick revitalised the team and made them one of the best in the world.

Needless to say, it is only fitting that the team bid the stadium farewell last night lifting the trophy in front of the fans and celebrating late into the night. That was, after all, that highlight of the night that made the result immaterial.