Villarreal 1-2 Barcelona: Griezmann brace brings La Liga title closer

Villarreal 1-2 Barcelona: Griezmann brace brings La Liga title closer

Koeman's side will win the league if they can win their final six matches

Antoine Griezmann scored twice as Barcelona beat Villarreal 2-1 away from home to edge closer towards a domestic double. 

Samuel Chukwueze gave Villarreal a 26th minute lead but Griezmann levelled just two minutes later before scoring what proved the winner in the 35th minute. 

Barça had chances to score the third against a Villarreal side who ended the game with 10 men when Manu Trigueros was sent off for a reckless challenge on Lionel Messi. 

However, Ronald Koeman's side were happy enough to settle for a one-goal win in the end as they moved to within six wins of the La Liga title. 

Barça are now level with Real Madrid with a game in hand and two points behind leaders Atletico Madrid with the advantage of having to play Diego Simeone's side at Camp Nou in May. 

Griezmann saw an early chance blocked and Frenkie de Jong should have opened the scoring when he got on the end of a Jordi Alba cross, only for Sergio Asenjo to make an outstanding save. 

Barça paid for their wastefulness in the final third when Alba's slip allowed Chukwueze in and the forward rounded Marc ter Stegen to open the scoring. 

The home side didn't lead for long. Oscar Mingueza clipped the ball over the top and Griezmann lobbed Asenjo with a brilliant finish to level just two minutes later. 

Within seven minutes, Barça led. Griezmann was again the scorer, taking advantage of a mix-up in the Villarreal backline to fire his side into the lead. 

Griezmann was denied a hat-trick by an Asenjo side before Trigueros saw red in the 65th minute for a foul on Messi. 

Barça came close to adding a third when substitute Ousmane Dembele freed De Jong but the Dutchman chipped his chance just wide. 

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