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 […]
In their first UEFA Champions League knockout round appearance for well over a decade, Villarreal hosted Juventus, who have repeatedly disappointed in the competition of late. Both sides would have given themselves a decent chance to progress to the quarterfinals, but after the 1-1 draw in the first leg, Villarreal must feel that they have […]
With Karim Benzema and Gerard Moreno both sidelined for this LaLiga clash, it was expected that goals would be hard to come by for both sides. Though Villarreal dominated the first half through their isolation of Marcelo on the right wing, it was Real Madrid who will end up regretting the volume of quality chances […]
Though Ángel Correa opened the scoring early with a spectacular finish from midfield, the opening hour of the match all went in favor of Villarreal. It was when Diego Simeone brought on his substitutes in the sixty-third minute that his team’s mentality changed, and they took the game to their opponents rather than sitting back […]
The final act of the Champions League group stage would feature at Bergamo, the home of the divine. But, falling to a hefty deficit, Atalanta could not conjure up an otherworldly outcome as Villarreal’s crafty frontline stole the show in a thrilling five goal encounter. Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. Villarreal’s trip […]