Villareal Proving Themselves Amongst Europe’s Elite
The Allianz Arena is not the type of stadium you waltz into and silence the crowd. Bayern Munich is not the type of team to get eliminated by a smaller club in the Champions League. Villareal is not the type of club to make it to the Champions League semi-finals. Yet, against all the odds, this squad led by Unai Emery has knocked out two giants of the game in Bayern and Juventus, and are headed for a battle with Liverpool. Through tactical genius, individual quality, a raucous fan base, and incredible mental strength they have given their fans a season they will never forget.
The winning goal from Villareal, a classic counter attack finished off by Samuel Chukwueze, was originally started by Dani Parejo as he cleverly avoided the pressure of a few Bayern defenders in order to slip in Giovanni Lo Celso on the counter. Parejo’s composure and technique were impressive, but what makes it even more impressive was that Bayern had scored earlier after Parejo gave the ball away in a similar position. His ability to bounce back from this earlier mistake is a perfect microcosm of just how strong this Villareal team is. When Bayern leveled the tie at 1-1, most teams would have succumbed to the atmosphere and the pressure the Bavarians were putting on them, but Unai Emery’s side did not falter, kept their faith, kept the game close, and eventually got the winner.
Chukwueze celebrates after scoring
Emery was ridiculed for his time at Arsenal, and he was the manager for PSG during that infamous collapse against Barca in 2017, so one could be forgiven for thinking his time as top level manager was over. When Villareal brought him along in 2020, no one really batted an eye, yet all he has done is win a Europa League and bring the club to their second ever Champions League semi-final. Things are not perfect, as they will likely finish 7th in the league for the second consecutive year, but Emery is clearly building something special. He is a four time Europa League winner, and his brilliance in knockout football is front and center again. Bayern is an explosive team and while there were brilliant individual defensive moments, it was Emery’s plan that stifled them. Julian Nagelsmann is supposed to be the next great European manager, yet Emery outclassed him, proving experience does matter, and that he is still a high quality manager.
Emery after winning the Europa League in 2021
Villareal has built a talented squad, with a blend of experience and youth that matches well with their accomplished manager. Parejo, Raul Albiol, and Gerard Moreno are a trio of Spaniards who have had great careers at the top level, while Chukwueze, Arnaut Danjuma, and Pau Torres are younger players who would fit in well at top clubs in the future. However, their focus is on the here and now with a date against Liverpool in the semi-finals. This will be their toughest test yet, but at this point who’s counting them out?