While Barcelona still has a chance to advance in the Copa del Rey, they can’t afford to pull another major mistake in this match with Villarreal. With Real Madrid quickly pulling away in La Liga, a loss could send the Blaugrana tumbling. It’s time for Lionel Messi, 29, and the rest of the crew to get it together. Expect a tough battle on the pitch when it all kicks off at 2:45 PM ET, so tune in to watch.
Sports fans can tune into this game via Bein Sports official live stream (after they enter in their cable information.) CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE BARCELONA VS. VILLARREAL LIVE STREAM
Barca started 2017 on the wrong note, as they fell 2-1 to Athletic Bilbao on Jan. 5. A pair of goals from Aritz Aduriz, 35, and Inaki Williams, 22, doomed Lionel Messi’s squad. The 2016 Ballon d’Or runner-up managed to nail a free-kick seven minutes into the second half, according to The Telegraph, but Bilbao was able to hold off the squad from making the comeback.
Thankfully, a 2-1 loss away from home is not fatal for the Copa del Rey, as Barca can recover. Yet, if they fail to beat fourth-place Villarreal, they’ll fall further behind Real Madrid. Plus, Sevilla is hot on Barcelona’s heels and a failure in this game could see Blaugrana take a tumble down the table.
This loss has cast more doubt that manager Luis Enrique, 46, will have a future with Barcelona. Barcelona might have actually interviewed Luis’s replacement, as Athletic Bilbao’s coach Ernesto Valverde, 52, is reportedly one of the candidates to replace Luis, according to Marca.com. Considering Ernesto’s side got the better of Barcelona, he might have secured him a new job next season.
If there’s any good news from the loss, it’s that Messi, Neymar, 24, and Luis Suarez, 29, are healthy for this matchup. Gerard Pique will also be a part of the squad, so Barca will be firing on all cylinders when they meet Villarreal on their home turf of El Madrigal. Hopefully for Barcelona, they’ll leave with three more points under their belt and not another L.
Who do you think will walk away from this match with a victory, HollywoodLifers?
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