The pressure has not ceased for Xavi, but at least he got some respite. His men made light work of a tricky task to set the preparatory tone for what will be a crucial fixture in their campaign. Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. High expectations put on pressure as soon as plans […]
It was another disappointing outing for Unai Emery’s Villarreal, and they made it very clear that they are nothing without Gerard Moreno. Real Sociedad looked lively throughout the match, and once they weathered down Villarreal’s defense in the first half they never looked back. Tactical analysis and match report by Charlie Tuley Imanol Alguacil’s Real […]
Two students of the game faced off in a match that was always going to be characterized by meticulous strategies. Sevilla took an early lead before the two sides cancelled each other out for large periods of the game. With attacking quality at a premium, it took a bold first-half substitution from Unai Emery to […]
In a wasteful performance from Villarreal, they threw away a number of quality chances that easily could have earned them two or three goals on another night. Real Betis were not much better, though they were able to put one past Villarreal’s elite defense and see out their well-earned lead to vault themselves back into […]
For the first time in the sixteen matchups between Unai Emery and Diego Simeone over the course of their careers, Emery took all of the points off of the legendary Atlético Madrid manager. Both sides approached the match in their usual fashions, and though Atlético Madrid and Villareal both created the shots to win the […]
Though Barcelona controlled much of the match, Unai Emery’s Villarreal were lethal on the counterattack, making Barcelona pay for throwing numbers forward in attack. Goals from Alfonso Pedraza and Moi Gómez were more than enough to get Villarreal across the line, though Barcelona’s lack of urgency (and motivation) late in the match played a heavy […]
Villarreal started off in excellent fashion, thanks to their aggressive and compact approach. They were able to bring the tie level thanks to this, but became a bit more passive in the second half, which was enough to let Liverpool back into the game and for Jürgen Klopp’s side to secure their place in the […]
The first half of the match saw Villarreal defending deep in their compact 4-4-2 system and frustrating Liverpool. However, Liverpool’s pressure paid off early in the second half with two quick goals, and the game was relatively easy from there as Villarreal did not have the tactical facilities to chase the game. Tactical analysis and […]
Villarreal came into the game acknowledging their status as the underdogs, but there was never a hint of fear on the part of the Spaniards. Instead, they respected the strengths of their opponent and prepared a solid game plan, which they partnered with masterful execution to record a famous victory to take to Munich. Tactical […]
The second act of the intriguing Champions League tie between Juventus and Villarreal was held in Italy, with a quarterfinal place very much up for grabs as the first leg ended 1-1. Villarreal had the upper hand in a way as they clearly won the tactical battle in the first leg, but Juventus initially looked […]