Only one point ahead of Real Madrid, Barcelona must defeat Villarreal.

A crucial week awaits Barcelona once more. The La Liga leaders will aim to maintain their distance from their arch-rivals, Real Madrid, when they host Villarreal at Camp Nou on Saturday, February 28th, at night WIB. This match could potentially determine the direction of the title race.

Barcelona arrives with recently restored momentum after being stunned by a heavy 0-4 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final.

The Catalan side has bounced back and returned to winning ways after defeating Levante 3-0 last weekend.

Besides the three points, that victory returned Barca to the top of the table with 61 points from 25 matches, holding a slim one-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid. This means even a minor mistake could shift the title race landscape.

However, this challenge is no easy task.

Villarreal Arrives Confidently

Villarreal is not an opponent to be underestimated. The Yellow Submarine currently sits third in the table with 51 points, trailing Barcelona by 10 points.

They are on a positive trend after securing two consecutive victories.

With growing confidence, Villarreal has the potential to be a serious stumbling block for Barca's ambition to widen the gap over Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid will only play their match against Getafe on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026. Los Blancos are also in a positive mood.

They recently secured their spot in the Champions League Round of 16 after a 3-1 aggregate win over Benfica.

The battle at the top is tightening. Fourth-placed Atletico Madrid will visit Real Oviedo's ground on Sunday, March 1st, 2026. Atletico has also returned to winning ways and has a strong chance of adding three points.

On another front, the hotly contested El Gran Derby will see Real Betis host Sevilla on Monday, March 2nd. Real Betis currently sits fifth, while Sevilla languishes in 12th place despite recently returning to winning form.

Equally intriguing, sixth-placed Celta Vigo will visit Girona. Celta just ended their winless streak after defeating Mallorca 2-0, while Girona drew 2-2 against Alaves last week.

A Title Race Defining Match

For Barcelona, the match against Villarreal is a test of consistency. They have shown a positive response following the embarrassing defeat in the Copa del Rey.

With only a one-point lead over Real Madrid, every match now feels like a final.

If Barca slips up, Real is ready to take over. But if they can overcome the tough test against Villarreal, Barcelona could send a strong message that they are serious about defending their title.

Full La Liga Schedule

Saturday (28/2)
03.00 Levante vs Alaves
20.00 Rayo Vallecano vs Athletic Club
22.15 Barcelona vs Villarreal

Sunday (1/3)
00.30 Mallorca vs Real Sociedad
03.00 Real Oviedo vs Atletico Madrid
20.00 Elche vs Espanyol
22.15 Valencia vs Osasuna

Monday (2/3)
00.30 Real Betis vs Sevilla
03.00 Girona vs Celta Vigo

Tuesday (3/3)
03.00 Real Madrid vs Getafe