Villarreal buck trend as Champions League strain does not hit LaLiga push | OneFootball

According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, Villarreal's 2025/26 is their fifth Champions League league or group-phase campaign, and this time LaLiga form has held. Marcelino García Toral's side are third with 65 points from 33 matches, 20 wins, five draws and eight defeats, 59 scored and 38 conceded, and they are one point from mathematical qualification.

It marks a break with years when Europe often hurt them at home, including the 2011/12 relegation while in the competition.

The first great run came in 2005/06 under Manuel Pellegrini. With Riquelme, Forlán, Senna, Sorín and Gonzalo Rodríguez, they reached the semi-finals against Arsenal, but finished seventh with 57 points and went out in the Copa last 16 to Valencia.

In 2008/09 they fell to Arsenal in the quarter-finals and ended fifth on 65 points, while a last-32 Copa exit came against Poli Ejido.

The low point was 2011/12, a group-stage exit followed by 18th place and relegation with 41 points, and a last-32 Cup loss to Mirandés.

In 2021/22 Unai Emery led a semi-final run after ousting Juventus and Bayern before losing to Liverpool, though LaLiga brought seventh with 59 points and a Conference League berth, and the Cup ended at Sporting de Gijón.

This season's European return has been modest, 35th in the league phase with one point, no wins, one draw and seven defeats, five scored and 18 conceded, and another last-32 Cup exit at Racing de Santander, yet domestically they have maintained impressive consistency.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo