Villarreal are playing the biggest game in the club’s history this evening, facing the mighty Manchester United in the final of the Europa League in Gdansk, Poland. Villarreal are led by Unai Emery, who’s won the competition with Sevilla a record three times, while United are yet to win a trophy under their coach, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Europa League has been Villarreal’s target all season. They brought in Emery last summer despite finishing fifth in La Liga that year, with the implicit idea of utilising his winning know-how to help the club secure their first-ever major title. The Yellow Submarine have come close in Europe before, but never got over the line and emerged victorious, best symbolised by their agonising exit to Arsenal in the semi-final of the Champions League back in 2005.
Villarreal overcame Arsenal to reach tonight’s final, while United saw off Roma. The experience of Raul Albiol and Dani Parejo will be crucial for Villarreal, as will the promise of Pau Torres and the ability of Gerard Moreno. It was the Yellow Submarine that took the lead. Parejo floated in an inch-perfect set-piece to find Moreno, who made no mistake with an ice-cool finish to give his team an against-the-odds 29th minute lead.
EL PRIMER TORPEDO DEL SUBMARINO AMARILLO.
Conexión @VillarrealCF: centro de Parejo, ejecución de Gerard Moreno. #LaCasadelFútbol pic.twitter.com/yO6O2XMZsN
— Fútbol en Movistar+ (@MovistarFutbol) May 26, 2021
