Barcelona Vs Villarreal: Lamine Yamal’s first hat-trick steers Barcelona to 4-1 victory
Barcelona Vs Villarreal ended 4-1 on Saturday 28 February in the 26ª jornada of LaLiga EA Sports, a game defined by Lamine Yamal’s first hat-trick as a Barcelona player. The result matters both for the league chase—Barcelona remain four points behind Madrid—and for momentum ahead of a crucial Copa tie on Tuesday.
Barcelona Vs Villarreal — match result and scorers
FC Barcelona secured a 4-1 win over Villarreal in the 26ª jornada. Lamine Yamal completed his first hat-trick with the club, and the remaining goals were completed by Pape Gueye and Robert Lewandowski in the match tally. The performance has been widely highlighted as one of Lamine’s best games in a Barcelona shirt.
Lamine Yamal: the goals, the message and the souvenir ball
The 16-year-old from Rocafonda delivered a three-goal display that combined a clinical first finish following a penetrating pass from Fermín López, a second goal crafted from open play that finished in the top corner, and a late second-half strike inside the area that completed the hat-trick. He took the match ball home as a keepsake and offered a short on-camera statement of roughly two minutes about his management of minutes, goals and external expectations, saying that people set unreal expectations for someone his age but that he is enjoying the moment. He did not celebrate extravagantly, opting instead for a calm smile.
Tactical shape, individual contributions and squad notes
The manager deployed Marc Bernal as a lone pivot in a modified 4-3-3, with Fermín and Olmo occupying interior roles. Bernal, 18 years old, was noted for carrying the team’s midfield weight, contributing defensively and receiving a yellow card when required. Pedri entered in the last half hour and produced a standout 30 minutes, including a key assist for Lamine’s third goal. Jules Koundé offered significant support on the right flank, creating danger, supplying a clear pass to Olmo before Ayoze’s goal, having a goal disallowed for offside, and finishing with an assist to Lewandowski for Barcelona’s fourth.
Incidents, bookings and set-piece concerns
Play was punctuated by a heavy challenge from Pau Navarro that left Lamine on the turf and sparked an immediate Villarreal counter that nearly ended with a shot from Ayoze. That sequence produced strong anger among Barcelona players over the decision not to halt play; earlier in the match similar stoppages had been made twice. Raphinha finished the contest with a yellow card. The match also underlined an ongoing problem for Barcelona on dead-ball defending: Villarreal’s goal arrived from a corner and brought the season total conceded from corners to seven.
Coaches, tension on the touchline and media reactions
Tensions ran high on the sidelines, with a heated verbal exchange between the two managers after the incident involving Pau Navarro and Lamine. One manager warned that giving Lamine space would likely result in goals, while Barcelona’s coach emphasized that the Copa semifinal with Atlético is not conceded and noted the player’s moments of fluctuating confidence in one-on-one situations—adding that when Lamine enjoys his football it benefits the team.
Aftermath, wider context and what’s next
The performance has been framed as a rebuttal to recent questions about Lamine’s form and suggestions that observances such as Ramadan may have affected his recent displays; his display on Saturday has been presented as an answer to those doubts. Commentary in pundit circles resurfaced a preseason clip in which a colleague had previously compared another prospect unfavorably to Lamine, prompting a call to remember that earlier claim in light of Saturday’s display. A full match chronicle by a named journalist is available for readers seeking a detailed blow-by-blow account.
Looking ahead, the display boosts Barcelona’s confidence before a Copa semifinal meeting with Atlético de Madrid on Tuesday, and the hat-trick has been read as a possible spark for an ambitious comeback in the tie despite the challenge of overturning a four-goal deficit. Recent comments from the player and staff suggest that preparations will focus on sustaining individual confidence, shoring up set-piece defending, and managing minutes across competitions.
