The Polish international striker, Robert Lewandowski, led his team Barcelona to shake off the dust of losing El Clasico and regain the winning streak with a double in the victory over Villarreal 3-0 Thursday, at the end of the tenth stage of the Spanish Football Championship.
Lewandowski scored his double in the 31st and 35th minutes, raising his score to 11 goals, at the top of the scorers’ list, and Ansu Fati added the third (38).
It is Barcelona’s first victory after a disappointing draw against its guest Inter Milan (3-3) in the fourth round of the group stage of the Champions League, and a severe loss against its host and arch-rival Real Madrid, the defending champion in the Clasico (1-3), and its eighth in the League. .
Barcelona consolidated its position in second place, returning the difference to three points between it and the royal club, before hosting Athletic Bilbao on Sunday in the eleventh stage, and its decisive trip to Munich to face Bayern next Wednesday in the fifth round of the prestigious continental competition.
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez made five changes to the squad that fell against Real Madrid, pushing Marcos Alonso, Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres, Gavi and veteran Jordi Alba at the expense of Eric Garcia, Brazilian Rafinha, Frenchman Osman Dembele, captain Sergio Busquets and Alejandro Baldi.
Villarreal Neda stood in front of the Catalan club’s offensive tide for 30 minutes before it collapsed and conceded three goals in seven minutes.
Lewandowski succeeded in opening the scoring when he received a cross from Alba inside the area and manipulated two defenders with a wonderful touch with the heel of his right foot before he shot it crawling with the same foot into the goal (31).
Lewandowski added the second goal when he received a ball from Gavi, so he manipulated one of the defenders and hit it with his right hand from outside the area in the far left corner of Argentine goalkeeper Jerónimo Royi (35).
Fati strengthened the Catalan club’s progress after a wonderful individual effort by Ferran Torres inside the area and a crawl pass in front of the goal for his colleague, so he followed it with his left and right, hitting the left post and rebounding to him to follow it with the heel of his left foot inside the empty goal (39).
Barcelona continued its advantage in the second half without being able to consolidate, despite the entry of Dembele and Rafinha.