After a long wait, Barcelona is finally stepping into La Liga. Their first opponents are Villareal, who have not won a game against Barcelona since 2008. However, it is still possible that they are going to surprise one of the biggest names in football. Their lineup may be what it takes to bring down their opponents. In addition, the Blaugrana may still be under the effects of the Champions League and in need of recuperation.
Expectations and Reality
Barça has had an interesting year, to say the least. Their performance in the Champions League earned them a bit of respite from the opening matches in La Liga. Furthermore, with Messi’s attempt to leave that ultimately proved fruitless, it became a question of whether or not Barcelona can step up.
After the defeat in the quarterfinals by Bayern Munich, the morale was low for Lionel and his team. Bouncing back from a score of 8-2 is nothing to sneeze at. It is certainly not something that happens to a team of Barcelona’s caliber. Luckily, Messi decided to stay and dedicate himself entirely to Barça, at least for the current season.
Villareal is probably going to give Barcelona a run for their money. Starting the season, they got a draw against Huesca. However, they defeated Eibar with two goals to one. Their shots were far more precise. Their manager, currently, is Unai Emery, a known thorn in Barcelona’s side. At the very least, Villareal is going to present a challenge to the legend that is Barça.
Who Will Win?
Our prediction still favors Barcelona. While their preseason was not up to their name, they have had time to sort out their issues. Messi’s dedication is no longer a matter of speculation. We expect there is going to be a difference of two or more goals in their favor. Villareal is going to be aggressive, but they will not be able to score more than twice for the entire match. Out of their last 20 clashes with Barcelona, they managed to get a draw four times. The rest were outright losses.
Where to Watch
For those of us who don’t have access to the specific TV channels, there are several streaming options. fuboTV is a solid option for the viewers from the USA, while some places, like India, are going to have to rely on things like Facebook Live. bet365 is also offering streaming services to its loyal patrons.
