Villarreal 3 - Barcelona 0

Villarreal: Reina; Javi Venta, Gonzalo Rodríguez, Peña, Armando Sá; Josico, Marcos Senna; Héctor Font, Guayre (José Marí 70'), Riquelme (César Arzo 89'); Diego Forlán. 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Damià (Iniesta 56'), Oleguer, Puyol, Sylvinho; Xavi, Márquez, Deco; Giuly, Eto'o, Ronaldinho. 4-3-3.

Team changes: Villarreal: Peña, Armando Sá, Marcos Senna for Quique Alvarez, Arruabarrena, Sorín / Barcelona: Víctor Valdés, Sylvinho, Márquez, Giuly for Rubén, Van Bronckhorst, Iniesta, Belletti.

Goals:
1-0. 30. Diego Forlán. Picked up return pass from Riquelme and fired shot into net.
2-0. 47. Gonzalo Rodríguez. Connected with long Riquelme free kick to beat Víctor.
3-0. 85. Diego Forlán. At second attempt after Javi Venta crossed in from right.

A bad start to 2005 for leaders Barcelona, who fell to only their second league defeat of the season at the hands of Villarreal. The locals completely dominated the game, with Víctor Valdés having to make saves from Forlán, Riquelme and Guayre before Forlán steamed on to a return pass from Riquelme to fire a shot through the keeper, referee Velasco Carballo waving away claims that Riquelme was in an offside position when he played the ball on.

Forlán could have made it two before the break when he failed to convert Guayre's pass from close range, but Gonzalo Rodríguez made no mistake when he got on the end of Riquelme's long free kick just two minutes after the restart. Barça were limited to long pot-shots at goal, the best of which came from Eto'o, but the Camerooni striker was unlucky not to be given a penalty when he fell under a challenge from Reina.

Xavi also tested the keeper, but otherwise it was all Villarreal, and Forlán rounded things off near the end after Javi Venta set him up from the right wing. Pellegrini took off Riquelme to a standing ovation a couple of minutes from the end, the on loan midfielder largely responsible for the defeat of the club he belongs to. It was the first time that Barcelona had failed to score in the league this season, and it signalled an eighth clean sheet out of nine games for Reina in the Madrigal stadium. His side move up the table to eighth as a result.