Arizona Tribune - Villarreal beat Elche to move third in La Liga

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Villarreal beat Elche to move third in La Liga / Photo: JOSE JORDAN - AFP

Villarreal beat Elche to move third in La Liga

SPORTS 03.01.2026

Villarreal maintained the pressure on La Liga's giants with a 3-1 win at Elche on Saturday.

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The Yellow Submarine moved provisionally third, trailing leaders Barcelona by eight points having played one fewer match.

Later Saturday champions Barcelona visit city rivals Espanyol, while second place Real Madrid host Real Betis on Sunday. Atletico Madrid, fourth, visit Real Sociedad on Sunday.

A defeat by Barcelona before the winter break was a setback for Marcelino Garcia Toral's Villarreal but they started the new year with a convincing triumph at the Martinez Valero stadium.

Alberto Moleiro and Georges Mikautadze fired the visitors into a comfortable lead inside 13 minutes with clinical finishes.

Martim Neto pulled one back for Elche from the edge of the box, but Alfonso Pedraza wrapped up Villarreal's win late on by slipping in behind and maintaining his composure to beat Inaki Pena.

W.Morales--AT

Arizona Tribune - Villarreal beat Elche to move third in La Liga

Villarreal beat Elche to move third in La Liga

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