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IMAGE: Barcelona’s gamers rejoice after Pedri scored the profitable purpose towards Villareal on the Estadio de la Ceramica in Villarreal, on Sunday. {Photograph}: Aitor Alcalde/Getty Photographs
A primary-half strike from Pedri gave Barcelona a 1-0 win over Villareal on the Estadio de la Ceramica on Sunday to increase their lead over Actual Madrid on the prime of LaLiga to 11 factors and preserve them on track for a primary league title since 2019.
Robert Lewandowski fired an early probability straight at goalkeeper Pepe Reina however he had higher luck together with his passing, teeing up Pedri in a superb trade that arrange the 20-year-old to clip the ball into the web within the 18th minute.
Lewandowski virtually scored a second eight minutes later after one other flowing Barca assault, however Reina was capable of get down neatly to steer away his left-footed shot from contained in the field.
In a recreation punctuated by some crunching tackles, Villareal misplaced midfielder Francis Coquelin to what seemed to be a nasty knee harm within the thirty fifth minute, and referee Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez doled out eight yellow playing cards, 4 to every crew, over the 90 minutes.
IMAGE: Barcelona’s Raphinha tries to keep away from the deal with from Pau Torres of Villarreal. {Photograph}: Aitor Alcalde/Getty Photographs
Although the house aspect had extra possession it was the guests who created the higher probabilities, with Lewandowski and Raphinha each coming near doubling the lead because the motion ebbed and flowed.
On the few events Villareal did break by way of, they discovered centre again Ronald Araujo in imperious kind, and he got here to his aspect’s rescue greater than as soon as with well-timed clearances and tackles within the second half.
Lewandowski had one final effort at getting the higher of Reina however once more he got here up quick because the keeper pulled off one other high-quality save to disclaim the Polish worldwide, however it wasn’t sufficient to forestall Barcelona from taking all three factors.
The win leaves Barca prime of the standings on 56 factors after 21 video games, whereas Villareal are in eighth place on 31 factors, seven off LaLiga’s fourth Champions League place, at present occupied by Atletico Madrid.
Rabiot header earns Juventus win over Fiorentina
IMAGE: Juventus’s gamers rejoice after Adrien Rabiot scored the purpose towards Fiorentina throughout the Serie A match in Turin on Sunday. {Photograph}: Valerio Pennicino/Getty Photographs
A primary-half purpose by midfielder Adrien Rabiot earned Juventus a 1-0 residence win over Fiorentina in Serie A on Sunday, stretching the guests’ winless run to 5 video games.
Juventus, who’ve now saved another clear sheet this season (14) than they did in the complete 2021-22 marketing campaign, moved up three locations to ninth on 29 factors from 22 video games. They sit one level behind eight-placed Udinese and Torino in seventh.
Juve had a very good probability to take the lead within the Twelfth minute when Angel Di Maria’s cross bounced off a Fiorentina defender to achieve Filip Kostic contained in the field, however he shot narrowly vast of the far put up from a good angle.
The Serbia defender might have given Juventus the lead as soon as extra when he linked with a lofted go however his shot was saved by goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano.
Rabiot put the hosts in entrance within the thirty fourth minute with a close-range header from a pleasant cross by Di Maria. Terracciano initially parried the ball away however goalline know-how proved it had crossed the road.
Fiorentina barely troubled the Juventus defence within the opening 45 minutes and continued to supply little risk after the break.
Juve striker Dusan Vlahovic thought he had made it 2-0 within the 59th minute when he lobbed the goalkeeper, however what would have been his first purpose towards his former membership was dominated out by VAR on account of an offside within the build-up.
Substitute Moise Kean had two good probabilities for Juventus after approaching for Vlahovic however his first effort was saved by the alert Terracciano and the opposite was astray.
Substitute Gaetano Castrovilli crammed Fiorentina with hope within the closing phases when his highly effective low shot sped previous keeper Wojciech Szczesny, however VAR dominated out the trouble for offside.
Juventus, who host Nantes within the Europa League on Thursday, journey to Spezia on Feb. 19 in Serie A. Fiorentina, who dropped to 14th on 24 factors, host Twelfth-placed Empoli the identical day.
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