La Liga
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\nISLAMABAD
\nAntoine Griezmann answered his critics in style on Sunday by scoring with a sensational chip as Barcelona thrashed Villarreal 4-1 to keep their faint La Liga title hopes alive. After the humiliation of being brought on in the 90th minute against his former club Atletico Madrid, Griezmann was back in the starting line-up at La Ceramica and repaid the faith with a stunning goal, teed up by Lionel Messi. \u201cIt was the kind of goal only great players can score,\u201d said Barcelona coach Quique Setien. \u201cHe played a spectacular match.\u201d
\nMessi also laid on a curling Luis Suarez s hot into the top corner after Gerard Moreno cancelled out a Pau Torres own-goal that had put Barca in front. Ansu Fati then added a fourth late on. An impressive victory for Setien\u2019s side reduces the gap back to four points behind Real Madrid, who earlier ground out another 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao at San Mames, with a Sergio Ramos penalty proving the difference.
\nMadrid\u2019s resilient performance, and their third 1-0 victory in a row, offered a stark contrast to a goal-fest from Barcelona that was certainly easier on the eye but instructive on the title race too.
\nAn end-to-end contest, full of chances for both sides, showed Messi, Suarez and Griezmann at their free-flowing best yet the defence was opened up with ease by Villarreal, who might have scored more.
\nMadrid\u2019s discipline and organisation has made them firm favourites with four games remaining.\u201cWe needed this match a while ago,\u201d admitted Setien. \u201cWe have to keep adding points and we\u2019ll see what happens.\u201d
\nGriezmann had experienced his lowest moment since joining Barcelona on Tuesday in the draw against Atletico but this was the perfect response.
\nHe celebrated his goal by sharing a warm embrace with Messi.
\nVillarreal looked a difficult opponent after winning five games out of six since the restart, a run that has put them in in touching distance of the top four.
\nThis defeat leaves them three points behind Sevilla, who play Eibar on Monday.
\nThe first half was perhaps the most entertaining in La Liga since the restart, with four goals and chances for two or three more.
\nBarca were ahead within three minutes, Torres diverting Jordi Alba\u2019s cross into his own net under pressure from Griezmann at the near post.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
La Liga online ISLAMABAD Antoine Griezmann answered his critics in style on Sunday by scoring with a sensational chip as Barcelona thrashed Villarreal 4-1 to keep their faint La Liga title hopes alive. After the humiliation of being brought on in the 90th minute against his former club Atletico Madrid, Griezmann was back in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":130792,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-130780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n