Barcelona - Villarreal: Lamine Yamal y su hat trick lifts Barça in barcelona - villarreal rout
barcelona - villarreal finished 4-1 after Lamine Yamal produced the first hat-trick of his career, a performance the 18-year-old says has helped him recover the joy of playing after a difficult spell this season. The result matters for Barcelona’s LaLiga position and comes as the club turns its attention to a demanding Copa del Rey tie.
Barcelona - Villarreal: three goals at Spotify Camp Nou
Yamal struck twice in the first half at the Spotify Camp Nou and added a third after the break to complete a 4-1 Barcelona victory over Villarreal on Saturday. The first goal arrived from a pass by Fermín López; the second was described as a brilliant finish after Yamal beat two Villarreal players. Pape Geuye pulled Villarreal back into the game before Yamal restored Barça’s two-goal cushion, and substitute Robert Lewandowski completed the scoring in the final minutes.
Yamal on his health, confidence and celebration
The 18-year-old said he had not felt well earlier this season, explaining: "No me sentía muy bien [al principio de la temporada]" and that he had "un problema [en la ingle] y, en general, no estaba contento. Fue una mezcla de muchas cosas. Se notaba. " He added that "Me he sentido mucho mejor desde hace una semana aproximadamente. Sonrío cuando juego, algo que no era así durante un tiempo, y soy feliz en el campo. "
Despite those issues, Yamal is now Barcelona’s top scorer this campaign with 18 goals in 34 matches across all competitions after the hat-trick, a total that equals his entire tally from last season but achieved in 21 fewer matches.
Historical markers: youngest hat-tricks and rare company
Yamal became the first 18-year-old to score a hat-trick in Spain’s top flight since 1967. Only two players have completed a LaLiga hat-trick at a younger age: José Iraragorri, who was 17 years and 337 days old in 1930, and Pombo, who was 18 years and 200 days old in 1934.
Reflecting on his scoring form, Yamal said: "Cada vez marco más goles. Con 16 años la gente ya te quiere. Marcar 100 goles ya es difícil... Yo también quiero marcar más, pero no siempre es posible. "
Hansi Flick on opposition marking and what the win gives Barça
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick pointed to a change in how opponents defend Yamal, saying: "El rival a veces juega con dos o tres jugadores contra él" and that "Se notaba que a veces le faltaba confianza, la dinámica para este uno contra uno. " Flick added: "Estoy contento por lo de hoy, tiene que darle confianza, y cuando disfruta jugando, es perfecto para él y también para nosotros. " He also suggested that with Yamal in this form "todo es posible. "
The victory leaves Barcelona four points clear of Real Madrid in the LaLiga table; Real Madrid hosts Getafe on Monday. Barcelona now turns its attention to the Copa del Rey semifinal second leg at home against Atlético de Madrid, after Atlético won the first leg 4-0, a result that leaves Barça with a significant challenge to overcome.
Match coverage and a separate website notice about browser support
Lluis Bou produced an analysis of the 4-1 Barcelona win — a piece labeled with a 2: 00 duration — that focused on Yamal’s hat-trick and Robert Lewandowski’s late goal. Separately, a webpage connected to match coverage displayed a notice that the reader’s browser was not supported and suggested downloading a modern browser for the best experience.
