Villarreal arrive in Santander aiming to end El Sardinero hoodoo | OneFootball

Villarreal have arrived in Santander for Sunday’s LaLiga opener against Racing de Santander at El Sardinero. It is Iñigo Pérez’s first competitive match in charge, with kick-off at 17.00.

According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, they flew from Valencia on Saturday and are based at Hotel Santemar, opposite the Primera Playa de El Sardinero and about 1.5 km from the ground. More than a hundred fans greeted them at the airport and hotel.

The travelling party was led by president Fernando Roig, chief executive Fernando Roig Negueroles, director of football Miguel Ángel Tena and ambassador Marcos Senna.

They will also look to banish memories of last season’s visit, when Racing, then in Segunda División, knocked out Marcelino García Toral’s Villarreal from the Copa del Rey.

In LaLiga at El Sardinero, Villarreal have played 12 matches, with four wins, four draws and four defeats. The last top-flight visit was on 3 December 2011, matchday 15 of 2011/12, and finished 1-0 to Racing through a 27th-minute header from Christian Stuani. Juan Carlos Garrido’s team were 13th with 14 points and Juanjo González’s side were bottom with 9, and Villarreal slipped to 15th in a season that ended in relegation to Segunda.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo

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