Villarreal 0 - Barcelona 1

Villarreal: López Vallejo; Galván (Xavi Roca 48'), Unai, Quique Alvarez, Arruabarrena; Jorge López, Galca, Xavi Gracia (Escoda 68'), Calleja (Quique Martín 54'); Víctor, Craioveanu. 4-4-2.
Barcelona: Bonano; Puyol, Christanval, Frank De Boer, Coco; Gabri, Xavi, Rochemback (Overmars 60'), Cocu (Sergi 85'); Kluivert, Saviola (Gerard 48'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Villarreal: Galván, Galca, Xavi Gracia for Xavi Roca, Amor, Cagna / Barcelona: Frank De Boer, Xavi, Rochemback, Kluivert for Andersson, Gerard, Rivaldo, Overmars.

Goals:
0-1. 38. Kluivert. Took deep Xavi pass and rounded keeper before scoring.

Barcelona held on with ten men to win their first game in six, beating Villarreal by a single goal at the Madrigal stadium. With roads down the East coast blocked by snow the team had to travel by plane to Valencia the night before, and the cold conditions on the evening of the game meant that many fans stayed away. Rexach was under pressure having only picked up two points in the last four league matches, and with Andersson and Rivaldo not fit, he brought in Rochemback and De Boer to a more stable 4-4-2 formation. Víctor Muñoz was missing the ex Blaugrana Guillermo Amor through suspension, and he left Cagna on the bench to bring in Gracia and Galca in midfield. The first half could have gone either way, with De Boer blocking a shot from Calleja and Xavi firing a long effort just over the bar. Then with six minutes to go to half time the visitors took the lead, Kluivert finishing off well after Xavi put him through.

However Xavi then blotted his copy book arguing too strongly over a possible foul, and referee Turienzo Alvarez booked him for the second time in the match and sent him off. Just after the break Bonano did well to keep out a shot from Arruabarrena, and Rexach decided he needed to get back control of midfield, replacing Saviola with Gerard. After that the ten men gave up any idea of attack and allowed their opponents to come at them, with Rochemback lucky to stay on the pitch after a bad tackle on keeper López Vallejo. At the other end Bonano put in another superb performance in goal including a spectacular stop from Xavi Gracia, and Víctor thundered a shot against the bar from outside of the area. But eventually the cold got too them all and Barcelona walked away with the three points which keeps them in touch with the leaders. They are now seventh, just above Valencia on goal average, although only four points behind Real Madrid at the top. Villarreal drop to tenth, and need a victory to get them back on line for their stated objective, a place in Europe for next season.