Villarreal’s top-four hopes hit with loss to Eibar

Villarreal’s hopes of finishing in the top four of La Liga suffered a fresh blow as they slumped to a 3-2 defeat at home to Eibar.

Villarreal were left seven points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid after losing to Las Palmas in their last match before the international break and they received another setback yesterday.

The hosts scored first and last at El Madrigal through Roberto Soriano’s brace in the 18th and 89th minutes, but Eibar netted three times in between to claim a victory that moves them to within four points of their opponents.

Pedro Leon’s hotly disputed 48th-minute penalty brought the Basque side level, before goals from Kike and Takashi Inui put the game beyond Villarreal’s reach.

Athletic Bilbao remained three points above Eibar thanks to first-half goals from Aritz Aduriz and Inaki Williams in a 2-1 win away to bottom-of-thetable Osasuna.

Aduriz had Ernesto Valverde’s visitors in front by the 12th minute, and it was 2-0 when Williams struck just before the break.

Osasuna had chances to get back in the match, though, and Sergio Leon made Athletic sweat when he narrowed the deficit in the 79th minute.

But there was to be no equaliser for a team who have won just once all season -- back in October away to Eibar -- and they are still rooted to the bottom with just 11 points from 29 matches.

Meanwhile, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique will rest defender Gerard Pique for the Spanish league game at Granada today.

“We are resting a player who is vital for us,” Luis Enrique said. “He was with the national team and has played a lot of minutes. We have an intense schedule of games ahead of us.”

The coach also won’t be able to count on Lionel Messi, who is serving a yellow-card suspension.

“It’s good because he will get some rest,” Luis Enrique said. “It will be good for him.”

Forwards Luis Suarez and Neymar are set to play, although Arda Turan remains sidelined because of an injury.

The Catalan club is two points behind leader Real Madrid, which hosts Alaves earlier Sun- day. Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane is resting captain Sergio Ramos, who starts alongside Pique for Spain.

“He has played a lot recently,” Zidane said of Ramos. Pique and Ramos have been exchanging blows through social media and television interviews over which team has gained from refereeing decisions.

Zidane has all other players available for Sunday’s match at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, including the offensive trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, and Karim Benzema.

Granada has lost four of its last five games and is in the relegation zone.