Former Barcelona striker Paco Alcacer has FIRED Villarreal into an early lead at Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano.
The Spanish international, who joined Javi Calleja’s side from Borussia Dortmund during the January transfer window.
However he has already had a positive impact at the club, with a goal on his debut against Osasuna, and now a brilliant opener against Diego Simeone’s side.
The visitors have struggled to make inroads against Atletico in the opening stages, but after a cross was only cleared to the edge of the box, Alcacer showed his class to bullet an effort past Jan Oblak.
⚽ Paco Alcacer gives Villarreal the lead!
💥 A sweet strike from the edge of the box gives the visitors something to build on against Atleti pic.twitter.com/IYYJjJLnaX
— Premier Sports 📺 (@PremierSportsTV) February 23, 2020
Simeone is watching on from the stands in this tie, after incurring a one-game ban for picking up five yellow cards for his animated antics in the technical area.
Assistant Manu Burgos is on duty for the home side, with Simeone blocked from impacting on the game until after the full time whistle.
Pictures courtesy of William Hill
