Villarreal mark 103 years after rise from regional leagues to Europe | OneFootball

Villarreal celebrate 103 years today, a journey marked by defining presidencies and capped by the 2020/21 Europa League.

According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, the club were formed on 10 March 1923 as CD Villarreal, with pharmacist José Calduch Almela as president.

Pascual Font de Mora oversaw the first promotion to Segunda División. Fernando Roig, the current president, delivered the first ascent to the top flight and consolidated the team.

Domestically, the standout league finish remains second place in 2007/08. In the Copa del Rey, Villarreal have reached the semi-finals only once, in 2014/15, losing to Barcelona.

In Europe, the club lifted the Europa League on 26 May 2021, beating Manchester United with Unai Emery in the dugout, the first title in the club’s history. In the Champions League they fell in the semi-finals in 2005/06 under Manuel Pellegrini and again in 2021/22 with Emery.

They also made three other last-four runs in the second-tier competition, the UEFA Cup in 2003/04 and the Europa League in 2010/11 and 2015/16.

The Submarine are set to complete 27 seasons in the top tier next campaign. They aim to keep adding to their honours, with the next goal to qualify for the Champions League in consecutive seasons for the first time.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo