Villarreal have never won a La Liga title, but they have been a quality side in the past few years, and even advanced to the semifinals of the Champions League in 2006.
Since being promoted to La Liga in 2000, Valencia has constantly made their presence felt at the top of the standings, including a fourth place finish last season.
Where: Camp Nou
When: Monday, August 29th, 3:00 PM Eastern Time
Watch: ESPN Deportes (USA), Sky Sports 3 (UK), GolTV (Canada, Spain)
Live Stream: ESPN3
Biggest Storyline: Will Villarreal Defeat Barca for First Time Since 2007?
Villarreal has not knocked off Barcelona since October 20th, 2007 when they won a home game by a score of 3-1. Since then Barca has dominated the series, despite a few draws mixed in.
Barcelona is playing incredible football right now, and appear to be unbeatable at the moment. It is going to be a daunting task to knock off Barca, so Villarreal would likely be happy to come away with a point.
If there is one thing that benefits Villarreal in this match it is the injuries that Barca are suffering through. They could be without as many as five starters, giving Villarreal a legitimate shot at a favorable result.
Player to Watch for Barcelona: Lionel Messi
Messi has been on fire and there is no doubt all eyes are on him every time he steps out onto the pitch. He recorded big goals in both the UEFA Super Cup and the Spanish Super Cup, and was just named the best player in Europe.
Look for him to put on a show in the first game of the La Liga season.
