FC Barcelona's trip south to El Madrigal on Sunday evening is the Catalan club's last match in their run of games against their nearest title challengers and all those teams will be hoping that they stumble against Villarreal.

Real Madrid may have come to within 12 minutes of holding Pep Guardiola's team last weekend, a result that would have seen Sevilla and the Yellow Submarine gain some ground, but Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi both scored to ensure that the chasing pack are still playing catch-up.

That result against Los Merengues brought such jubilation to Barça's fans, despite none having any doubt beforehand, that the last match before the festive break has almost been forgotten.

Tucked in after the Madrid encounter and the headlines regarding possible Champions League opponents all week, the match could well see the Blaugrana brought down to earth with a bump.

At least that is what the championship challengers are all hoping, because when the league resumes in January the Catalan outfit will start off against teams at the other end of the table.

All the other teams in and around the Champions League places have now been soundly beaten by Guardiola's team and that has given the impression that La Liga could well be over, despite nobody actually wanting to admit it.

In the second half of the season Barça do still have to go to Valencia, Atlético and Real Madrid, but it may all be a foregone conclusion by then, so any team that will not just sit back and defend, with no intention of scoring, is looked to in order to try and open things up.

Shrewd Tactician

One such team are Villarreal, and Manolo Pellegrini's side are unlikely to play meekly with nine behind the ball in front of their own fans against a team that they have a good home record against.

Instead, the Chilean coach will be shrewd and will no doubt pack his midfield in order to stifle Barça's short-passing game before testing their back-four on the counter-attack.

While question-marks can be raised, if really pushed, over individual members of the Catalan club's back-four, but as a unit whoever is included has impressed this term.

Villarreal's forwards will have to be at their very best to take anything from a defence that has conceded only nine goals in 15 league matches, while at the other end an incredible 46 goals have been scored by the Blaugrana.

The hosts on Sunday do not have quite such an impressive record, as they have netted just 26 times and let in 19 goals, but have been beaten just twice this term.

In fact, Villarreal's recent form has not been particularly good at all, with defeats at both Sevilla and Celtic coming on the back of a dramatic, yet disappointing, draw at home against Getafe.

Victory for Pellegrini's team would move them to within five points, but it would also allow either Real Madrid or Valencia, who meet in the Bernabéu on Saturday, to edge closer as well.


FORM GUIDE

Villarreal

14/12 A 0-1 Sevilla
10/12 A 0-2 Celtic
06/12 H 3-3 Getafe
30/11 A 2-1 Recreativo
25/11 H 0-0 Manchester United
22/11 H 0-3 Valladolid

Barcelona

13/12 H 2-0 Real Madrid
09/12 H 2-3 Shakhtar Donetsk
06/12 H 4-0 Valencia
29/11 A 3-0 Sevilla
26/11 A 5-2 Sporting Clube
23/11 H 1-1 Getafe


TEAM NEWS

Villarreal

TBA

Barcelona

Guardiola will, as usual, not name his squad until the day before the game. When Barça are at home he waits until the day itself, but only Gaby Milito is definitely out. Rafa Márquez has spent all week training to recover from a hamstring strain while Andrés Iniesta was also back after recovering from his injury.


PREDICTION

A week off will have done Barcelona no harm at all after so many midweek games in recent months, and Villarreal could well feel the full effects of a rested Blaugrana side. Pellegrini has been shrewd against Barça in the past at El Madrigal, but Guardiola is also proving to be a very adept tactician and will be looking at ways to counteract the hosts' stifling tactics in midfield.

Villarreal 1 - 2 Barcelona