Madrid, Dec 22 (IANS) Spanish giants FC Barcelona won 2-0 against Villarreal on Sunday to ensure they go into the New Year with a four-point lead over a Real Madrid side that remains in crisis.

Barcelona are at the top of the standings with 46 points from 15 wins in 18 matches. They have one draw and two defeats so far. Real Madrid are in second spot with 42 points from 13 wins, three draws, and two defeats in 18 matches, while Atletico Madrid are in third spot with 37 points from 11 wins, four draws, and three defeats in 18 matches.

Villarreal are fourth with 35 points from 16 matches, while Espanyol are fifth with 30 points from 16 games.

Here are some things we learned in La Liga this weekend.

Game looks to be up for Alonso

Real Madrid may have won 2-0 at home to Sevilla, but the atmosphere in the Santiago Bernabeu seemed more like a defeat than a home win, with the fans booing and whistling players at key moments in the game, reports Xinhua.

Although a Jude Bellingham strike and another Kylian Mbappe penalty gave Madrid the win, Sevilla missed several gilt-edged chances, while Thibaut Courtois was vital for the home side, and things could have been different if the referee had sent off Rodrygo for a second yellow card with the score 1-0.

Alonso might have expected a win to make his life easier, but the fans in the Bernabeu and the reporters in the press room afterwards made it clear that isn’t the case, and unless his side wins the Spanish Supercup in early January, it’s hard to see him surviving – if he even lasts that long.

Alonso takes his revenge

If Xabi Alonso is sacked by Real Madrid in the near future, he will leave after taking his revenge against Vinicius, who has apparently been one of the players most against him in the dressing room.

Nobody has forgotten Vinicius’ angry reaction when Alonso subbed him out of the Clasico against FC Barcelona in October, and the two clearly have a bad relationship.

Vinicius was in poor form against Sevilla and was booed by the fans several times during the match, so when Alonso subbed him off in the 83rd minute, he knew the Brazilian would leave the pitch to a chorus of boos and whistles – something Vinicius clearly didn’t like as he changed his profile picture on social media from one of him wearing a Real Madrid shirt to one with a Brazil shirt on.

Villarreal makes it easy for Barcelona

After starting the weekend in third place in the table, Villarreal could have been expected to make life difficult for Barcelona in its Estadio de la Ceramica, but errors in the first half effectively ended its chances of a win that would have kept the club in the title race.

Santi Comesana’s early foul on Raphinha allowed the Brazilian to put Barcelona ahead from the penalty spot and steady nerves for the visitors, while Renato Veiga then showed his inexperience with a bad challenge from behind on Lamine Yamal to leave Villarreal with 10 men. Chasing the game against Barcelona with a player less is virtually impossible, so it was game over before halftime.

Elche reaps rewards of staying true to beliefs.

Elche stormed to a 4-0 win at home to Rayo Vallecano on Sunday to end the year on a high note and confirm that its loyalty to coach Eder Sarabia’s passing game has brought rewards. Hector Fort scored a fine opener before going off injured, while Elche’s three remaining goals were all the fruits of passing its way through an open Rayo defense.

Elche recently had a seven-game winless run that may have caused some doubts about its style of play, but they have kept the faith, and two wins in three games leave the club ninth with 22 points – an excellent haul for a promoted side.

–IANS

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