Villarreal sink Alaves to stay in La Liga hunt

Alberto Moleiro, Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze struck in the second half to cut leaders Barcelona's lead to eight points, having played one fewer game than the Catalan champions. Villarreal climbed three points ahead of Atletico and within four of second-placed Real Madrid, who have both also played an extra game. "We hope we're capable of winning (our game in hand) too and adding three more points to this extraordinary first half of the season," Villarreal coach Marcelino Garcia Toral told DAZN.