‘Brutal’ – Barcelona players react to Real Madrid’s defeat vs Villarreal

Real Madrid failed to carry the momentum from their 4-0 Copa del Rey triumph over Barcelona on Wednesday into their La Liga clash with Villarreal, succumbing to a 3-2 defeat at Santiago Bernabéu this weekend. It was Samuel Chukwueze’s night, as the dynamic winger tormented Real Madrid’s defence throughout the entirety of the game, scoring a brace to complete the double over the Spanish giants.

While the win over Barca in the semi-final of the domestic cup has made Los Blancos favourites to win the trophy, the subsequent defeat against Villarreal ensures Xavi‘s men have one hand on the La Liga title.

Barcelona are 12 points clear of their fierce rivals with a game in hand, and if they maintain their winning run in the league, they can officially seal the fate of the race by avoiding a defeat against local nemesis Espanyol on May 14.

Quique Setién didn’t do much to impress Barcelona faithful during his time at the helm but has certainly won over their hearts by taking six points off Real Madrid. And it is understood the latest win was celebrated by the players of the Catalan outfit too.

‘Brutal’ – Barcelona players react to Real Madrid’s defeat against Villarreal

As per journalist Javi Miguel (via Reshad Rahman), the WhatsApp group of the Blaugrana stars was filled with emojis and exclamations of all kinds. “Brutal!!” was one of the messages.

Further, it is added that they congratulated some Villarreal players as well. As far as Setién’s men are concerned, the win puts them closer to Champions League qualification. They are now just four points behind fourth-placed Real Sociedad.

Meanwhile, this was another lesson for the decision-makers at Real. Despite all their quality and experience, the squad is too old and slim to challenge for the league title. The over-reliance on ageing stars like Karim Benzema and Luka Modric is one of the big reasons behind their failure to keep up with Barcelona in La Liga.