Youth League: Barcelona Thrash Villarreal 4-1 to Reach Semifinals

Blaugrana cruise past Yellow Submarines in quarterfinal clash

Barcelona's youngsters put on a dominant display to secure a comfortable 4-1 victory over Villarreal in the UEFA Youth League quarterfinals on Tuesday. Goals from Lamine Yamal, Aleix Garrido, Angel Alarcon, and Marc Casadó sealed the win for the Catalans, who will now face either Chelsea or Porto in the semifinals.

Barcelona started the game brightly and took the lead through Yamal in the 10th minute. The French forward latched onto a through ball from Garrido and coolly slotted home. Villarreal fought back and created a few chances of their own, but Barcelona's defense held firm.

The Blaugrana doubled their lead in the 25th minute when Garrido headed home a cross from Alarcon. Villarreal reduced the deficit just before half-time through Arana, but Barcelona restored their two-goal advantage early in the second half when Alarcon scored a stunning free-kick.

Casadó put the icing on the cake for Barcelona in the 75th minute with a close-range finish. The win sees Barcelona reach the Youth League semifinals for the third time in the last four years.

Key Stats

• Barcelona had 62% possession and completed 464 passes.
• Villarreal had 38% possession and completed 245 passes.
• Barcelona had 13 shots on target, while Villarreal had 7.
• Barcelona won 10 corners, while Villarreal won 3.

Conclusion

Barcelona's victory over Villarreal was a dominant performance from the young Blaugrana. The Catalans were in control of the game from start to finish and created a number of clear-cut chances. Villarreal showed some fight, but Barcelona were simply too strong on the day.