Barcelona cruised to 4-1 victory at the Nou Camp to hold on to their spot at the summit of the La Liga and maintain pressure on Real Madrid.
A goal each from Neymar and Luis Suarez and a brace from Lionel Messi ensured that Barcelona ran out easy victors against the visiting Villarreal side. This victory sees Luis Enrique’s men go 3 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table with 84 points.
This victory was all the more impressive given Villarreal’s great away form coming into this tie. Fran Escriba’s men had only conceded a total of 4 goals in the 9 La Liga matches they had played on the road, prior to coming to the Nou Camp.
Neymar opened the scoring for Barcelona with Barcelona’s second proper chance of the game.
Finally Neymar is into double figures for the season
— Artemis Fowl (@DwayneRyder) May 6, 2017
SUÁREZ > MESSI > NEYMAR > GOAL!
And that’s 99 goals for MSN this season.. Trident of history. pic.twitter.com/rM2f9oF78b
— FC Barcelona (@FCBdaily) May 6, 2017
Neymar offside but its a refereeing mistake. When CR was offside its because of Perez, franco etc.
— King CR7 (@GOATnaldo) May 6, 2017
it’s proper embarrassing how much Barca fans hate on Neymar, get a grip you mongs, he’s an unreal player
— grace? (@gundofan) May 6, 2017
Neymar has now scored more goals v Villarreal for Barcelona than against any other club, 9 in 9 apps
(SKY SPORTS) pic.twitter.com/cQhGLEQqaf— The Catalan Giant (@TheCataIanGiant) May 6, 2017
These days Barca start Neymar and the probability of a draw or loss is so high.
— Saze. (@osvze) May 6, 2017
Somewhere, a Madridista prepares the graphics showing why Neymar’s goal is offside.
— Lala ?? (@OohLalaFootball) May 6, 2017
Bakambu then equalised a little under 10 minutes later, just over the hour mark with a super goal. The Barcelona defence were so far forward, that the 26-year-old had acres of space to run into before finishing it calmly past Ter Stegen.
Cédric Bakambu: Has had a hand in eight goals in his last six La Liga games for Villarreal (seven goals one assist)
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) May 6, 2017
Piqué was never winning a foot race against Bakambu, tbh.
— Diana Kristinne (@DianaKristinne) May 6, 2017
6 – Only Diego Forlan (11) has scored more braces than Cèdric Bakambu (6) for Villarreal in La Liga ever. Reference pic.twitter.com/EJka6py6BS
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 28, 2017
Bakambu scores
Regular commentator – what a goal from Bakambu!Ray Hudson – Bakambu finishes cooly like a polar bear’s backside
Polar bear pic.twitter.com/tx6XspT8B8
— Elon Musk #geeksquad (@Mist3r_GCode) May 6, 2017
Watching Villarreal equalise at Barcelona like… pic.twitter.com/kqKWqgWVWE
— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 6, 2017
Frustrating match ahead.
Villarreal doesn’t have the best defensive record in La Liga for nothing.
— Lucas R. (@lucasammr) May 6, 2017
And then just before half time, Lionel Messi produces a moment of magic to give his side the lead for the second time in the match.
We had a very bad first half but Messi made the difference, our defence was horrible in every single way
— MascheranoStats (@MascheranoStats) May 6, 2017
Watching Messi must make every professional footballer feel incredibly inadequate.
The magician now has 503 club career goals. pic.twitter.com/xb0WhVoK35
— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) May 6, 2017
Messi is our savior?
— Maureen Gabriele (@mbgabriele) May 6, 2017
The way Messi dropped that defender on the floor… pic.twitter.com/AgouffDQxZ
— Kathleen (@Kegsoccer) May 6, 2017
50 – Lionel Messi is the first player from the Top 5 European Leagues to reach 50 goals this season in all competitions. Crucial. pic.twitter.com/cn4e8EvNtn
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) May 6, 2017
100 goals for the MSN this season. Messi has 50. And he’s essentially been a midfielder this season.
— Sameer (@Sameer_R13) May 6, 2017
Lionel Messi has now scored 50+ goals in five of the last seven seasons for Barcelona.
Unbelievable record! pic.twitter.com/UAxcPdBxUr
— BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) May 6, 2017
After 5 years of med school if Messi asked me to quit and become his beard trimmer I’d do it.
— Amier (@Catalan_MD) May 6, 2017
9 seasons in a row that Messi has double digits numbers on goals and assists. Simply The Best? pic.twitter.com/R7ABew45wn
— KING LEO (@500andcounting) May 6, 2017
Gerard Pique was getting some slack for his performance and his mistake that led to Bakambu scoring the equaliser.
.@Totti @ramos RONALDO – Hi ?
PIQUE – Hey penaldo what have u been up to??
RONALDO- helping madrid qualify 4 the UCL finals and you ? @PIQUE(PIQUE LEFT)
— DisturbingIbadan?? (@Damorela00) May 6, 2017
We shouldn’t be playing with such a high defensive line against Villarreal. Pique and Umtiti are literally midfielders in this game
— Shaunwan (@FCBShaun) May 6, 2017
Gerard pique is regarded as a world class defender cos he plays for Barca…That man runs slower than a turtle walking backwards. #Barca
— K!ngP!n (@solange_blaze) May 6, 2017
On the 68th minute, a lightning quick Barcelona counter attack was finished by Luis Suarez. He was having a quiet game until then, but he wasn’t going to to miss out on the action and joined Messi and Neymar on the scoresheet.
Sergi Roberto is the quick thinker to race upfield on the counter, before feeding a pass out to the right-hand side to Suarez #FCBVillarreal
— sK (@kolaveriboy) May 6, 2017
Barcelona assists in the league:
Suarez 12
Neymar and Messi 10
Roberto 6
Alba 5
Rakitic 4
Iniesta, Turan, Denis, and Mascherano: 3— Luis Mazariegos (@luism8989) May 6, 2017
21′: Neymar scores ⚽️
45′: Lionel Messi scores ⚽️
69′: Luis Suarez scores ⚽️101 for the season between MSN. ? pic.twitter.com/1rRWxfOPO7
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) May 6, 2017
Suarez, Messi, Neymar scored.
Is this a South American league match or the #laliga ? ?— Sha’arin Razali Wong (@shaarin) May 6, 2017
Luis Suárez: Only Lionel Messi (43) has scored or assisted more goals in Europe’s top five leagues this season than Suárez (39)
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) May 6, 2017
Luis Suarez has now been directly involved in 39 goals in 33 #LaLiga games this season.
27 goals ⚽️
12 assists ?️So impressive. pic.twitter.com/azjix94LZQ
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) May 6, 2017
3-1, Suárez, Roberto assist. “You better lock your back door when Sergi Roberto is streaking in like this. He banks in like an F-51.”
— Live Ray Hudson (@liverayhudson) May 6, 2017
Gol de Suárez. pic.twitter.com/3WFo6pAsCi
— adriana cabrera (@adrianabravista) May 6, 2017
In the 8st minute, Barcelona were awarded a penalty. On watching the replays, it seemed rather harsh on Villareal, but there was little they could do but watch as Lionel Messi scored a wonderful Panenka Penalty to make it 4-1.
Messi doesn’t just score goals… he decorates them with smiling emojis.
— MARCO! (@marcotorralva8) May 6, 2017
Since missing that heartbreaking penalty in the Copa America Final he hasn’t missed a penalty since. Messi
— Gastro (@Gastro_o) May 6, 2017
Oh Messi never disappoints?
— Owen Claydon (@OwenClaydon1) May 6, 2017
Messi 9/9 penalties scored this season. Only player with 100% conversion rate.
— AJ (@MaximumBarca) May 6, 2017
Lionel Messi across all competitions for Barcelona this season:
49 games
51 goalsWe are not worthy. ? pic.twitter.com/uZDNMeAEQl
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) May 6, 2017
? | Luis Suarez has scored 83 goals in 95 La Liga games for Barcelona.
El Pistolero. pic.twitter.com/nDNO0ZxtpD
— FC Barcelona (@FCBdaily) May 6, 2017
OFFICIAL: MSN score 100 goals for Barcelona this season! ⚽️
✅2014/15 – 122 goals
✅2015/16 – 131 goals
✅2016/17 – 100 goals3rd in a row ?? pic.twitter.com/g58bBZ26YL
— SPORF (@Sporf) May 6, 2017
Messi:
697 games
562 goals
231 assists
29 trophies
41 hattricks
5 Ballon d’Or
3 golden boot pic.twitter.com/kaBRfI36Jp— Barca Galaxy (@barcagalaxy) May 6, 2017
Don’t let this Barca game & Leo brace against Villarreal distract you from the fact that Casemiro has more La Liga goals vs Barca than Bale.
— AJ (@MaximumBarca) May 6, 2017
Messi leading Laliga top scorers with 35 Goals. ? pic.twitter.com/TDfGxiF9Ux
— FORÇA BARÇA (@ForcaBarcaEN) May 6, 2017
Neymar always scores and does something that makes your jaw drop every time Barça play Villareal. Absolutely bullies the Yellow Submarine.
— Sameer (@Sameer_R13) May 6, 2017
RECORD: Lionel Messi is the first player in La Liga history to score 100 braces (56 at Camp Nou, 44 at away ground).
— FORÇA BARÇA (@ForcaBarcaEN) May 6, 2017
– 11th Liga home win in a row
– 11th Liga home game in a row in which Messi scores— adil (@Barca19stats) May 6, 2017
Neymar vs Villarreal:
41 passes completed
7 take ons completed
5 fouls suffered
4 tackles completed
1 goal#Neymar #FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/RgVJhixgdD— Barça ?❤ (@BarcaForever_10) May 6, 2017
Messi brace against La Liga side with least away goals conceded this season. Best player in the world. #BalonDOrLeo
— AJ (@MaximumBarca) May 6, 2017
