Villarreal hails a year that will be remembered for big European nights
Villarreal greets an unforgettable year with unforgettable moments in the history of the yellow entity. Champions League semi-finals against Liverpool, qualification against FC Bayern in the quarter-finals and Juventus FC in the round of 16, the promotion of the subsidiary to the Second Division, the tribute to José Manuel Llaneza or the renovation of the Estadio de la Cerámica in record time have been, among others, the major events of the last year in the Submarine.
the conquest of Turin
The draw for the round of 16 of the Champions League led to a difficult match against Juventus FC, a historic event in European football. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Estadio de la Cerámica, the Giallorossi faced the enormous challenge of conquering the Juventus Stadium with determination to reach the quarter-finals. On 16 March, in front of over 40,000 fans who packed the stands of the Juventus stadium, Villarreal beat the Italian giant 3-0 with goals from Gerard, Pau Torres and Danjuma and qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League .
Historical classification at the Allianz Arena
The Champions League dream was still alive, but a whole Bayern Munich crossed Villarreal CF’s way in the quarter-finals. The Estadio de la Cerámica turned yellow to encourage their team in the first leg in which Submarino, after an excellent performance, secured the 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from Danjuma.
The Giallorossi fans accompanied the team on a historic trip to Germany. Against the Bavarians the yellow area didn’t wrinkle and, despite starting from behind in the scoreboard after Lewandowski’s goal at the start of the second half, they obtained the historic pass for the semifinals of the competition thanks to a goal by Samu Chukwueze , who knocked down the Germans after a dizzying yellow counterattack.
Some Champions League semi-finals for history
Villarreal faced Liverpool again in a semi-final of European competition. In the first leg played at Anfield, Villarreal fell 2-0, but the bad result didn’t affect the spirit of the Submarine, who relied on the second leg to try and win the match.
On April 28, the yellow team received the English before the impressive atmosphere that reigned at the Estadio de la Cerámica. The first part made the 22,000 fans present in the yellow Colosseum dream. Boulaye Dia and Francis Coquelin outlasted the groguets and tied the tables. In the second half, the dream of reaching the final was extinguished with three English goals that decided the draw in favor of the English. Despite this, Villarreal enjoyed an unforgettable fixture.
The unforgettable rise of Villarreal B to the LaLiga SmartBank
Also this year 2022 has left us great moments for the Cava della Grogueta. Villarreal B managed to be promoted to LaLiga SmartBank, thus becoming the only subsidiary in the second top national competition. After a fabulous campaign, Miguel Álvarez’s men finished second and had to face challenging playoffs to achieve their goal.
Mini Submarino had to face UD Logroñes in the semifinals (3-1) in the play-off for promotion to the Second Division, and Nàstic de Tarragona, in the final (2-0). Nico Jackson’s two goals in Balaídos certified the promotion of the yellow branch to LaLiga SmartBank.
The permanence of Villarreal Femenino with an impeccable second round
Villarreal Femenino achieved their goal of permanence by signing an impressive second round. After a difficult start to the season and an unfair penalty handed down by the RFEF, Sara Monforte’s side turned the tables. In the final stretch of the season, the yellows achieved five commendable wins and draws which allowed them to save themselves with a certain ease, a great achievement for a Villarreal Femenino who is gradually establishing itself in the Finetwork Liga F.
Qualifying for the UEFA Conference League
The submarine has achieved its goal of entering European competitions for the third consecutive season. The groguets added 59 points and took a creditable seventh place, certifying qualification for the UEFA Conference League. Villarreal are used to sailing around Europe. Not surprisingly, he amassed 18 seasons playing in European competitions (16 without counting the Intertoto Cup) and 23 seasons in the First Division. Exceptional.
Tribute to Bruno Soriano
Bruno Soriano was awarded at the Estadio de la Cerámica before the match between Villarreal and Sevilla, corresponding to matchday 35 of LaLiga Santander 21/22. The former captain, the player with the second most appearances in the club’s history, received a commemorative plaque and the affection of the fans, who were unable to pay tribute to his retirement due to lack of fans in the stadiums. In addition, Bruno kicked off, thus receiving the affection of the fans. On the other hand, the legend of the grogueta has also been made an honorary member of Agrupació de Penyes Villarreal CF.
Manu Trigueros becomes the most capped player and Gerard reaches 100 goals
Midfielder Manu Trigueros, after starting the UEFA Conference League match against Polish side Lech Poznan, became the most capped player in the club’s history with 426 appearances, overtaking Bruno Soriano. Bruno himself took it upon himself to give him a plaque with the shirt and the number of matches. Talaverano has already accumulated 12 seasons in yellow and red.
Similarly, Gerard Moreno reached the impressive figure of 100 goals for Villarreal after scoring a Copa del Rey brace in CD Santa Amalia’s (0-9) victory in the first elimination round of the tournament by KO.
Eternal José Manuel Llaneza
The Grogueta family suffered an irreparable loss in 2022, that of José Manuel Llaneza. The club’s vice president has died at the age of 74. The yellow parish and the whole football world wanted to give him the respect and affection that José Manuel has earned during his impeccable career and his charisma. An emotional minute of silence was held in the league match against UD Almería which moved all the Grogueta fans. Your legacy is eternal, José Manuel!
Return to the refurbished La Cerámica stadium
This magnificent year will end in the best possible way, with the inauguration of a renovated Estadio de la Cerámica. Against Valencia CF, the team will return to their home, which will look spectacular. The Giallorossi fans, after having spent so much time without setting foot in their fiefdom, will receive the team at home, where last season they experienced magical nights they will never forget.
