Barcelona squad's WhatsApp group exploded with joy after Real Madrid's shock 3-2 loss against Villarreal - Reports
Barcelona players flooded their WhatsApp group with messages after their rivals Real Madrid suffered a shock defeat against Villarreal on Saturday (April 8), according to Spanish sports daily Diario AS.
Los Blancos went into their La Liga game against Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu with hopes of reducing their gap with table-toppers Barcelona. However, things did not go according to plan, as they succumbed to a 3-2 defeat.
Real Madrid went ahead with an own-goal from Pau Torres 16 minutes into the game. However, they failed to build on that, as Samuel Chukwueze restored parity for the visitors six minutes before half-time.
Viniciur Jr. gave Carlo Ancelotti's side the advantage again just three minutes into the second half. Los Blancos, though, bottled the lead for the second time ,as goals from Jose Luis Morales and Chukwueze earned Villarreal the win.
Barcelona can take a 15-point lead over Real Madrid if they beat Girona at home on Monday (April 10). It will then take a major miracle for the Bernabeu outfit to turn things around in the last ten games of the season.
The Blaugrana were under pressure after they suffered a 4-0 loss against Ancelotti's side in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal in midweek. However, Madrid's shock defeat against Villarreal was a source of relief for Xavi and Co.
Barcelona players did not shy away from expressing their delight as the squad's WhatsApp group exploded with joy after Real Madrid's game. According to the aforementioned source, many flooded the chat with all sorts of emojis.
One of the most repeated messages on the WhatsApp group reportedly read:
"Brutal!"
Some members of the Blaugrana also tipped their hits to the Villarreal players. They particularly reserved special praise for Dani Parejo and Pepe Reina, as per the report.
Barcelona on course for La Liga glory, Real Madrid could focus on Champions League
Barcelona are on course to win their first La Liga title since the 2018-19 season. The Blaugrana will be determined to get the job done in the coming weeks. They will not have any other distractions, as they have been knocked out of both the UEFA Europa League and the Copa del Rey.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, will now turn their attention towards winning the UEFA Champions League, with the league title increasingly out of their reach. Los Blancos face Chelsea in the quarterfinals next week. They also lock horns with Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final in May.