Villarreal has entered the most important week of the season and did so under the slogan ‘It’s our moment’. The Submarine will face Arsenal next Thursday in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals, a match that is seen in La Cerámica as the golden opportunity to “redeem themselves” from the historic elimination by the ‘gunner’ club in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals 05/06. «Football has given the yellow team the opportunity to redeem themselves and fight again to reach a continental final against the English team ”, explains the official statement of the entity with which the campaign was launched.
“Football always gives you a new chance.” That April 25, 2006, the then team of Manuel Pellegrini faced the return of the semifinals of the Champions League after falling 1-0 in London. With the score 0-0 and in the 88th minute, Juan Román Riquelme had a penalty in his boots to force extra time in a game in which Villarreal dominated and cornered the English. And it failed. Madrigal suffered a harsh elimination against a history of continental football and was left at the gates of glory.
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The cover of SUPER this Monday.
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This was the expulsion of Trigueros for entering Messi.
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They are also from the First Division.
Now, five players who were part of that Villarreal lead this campaign. Marcos Senna, Mariano Barbosa, Juanma Peña, César Arzo and Héctor Font donned the elastic ‘grogueta’ that night and now relive a historic appointment with an emotional video that appeals to the pride of the Vila-real people and the team, to which “Football has his hand and gives him a wonderful opportunity to rewrite his history.”
Senna remembers the appointment “as if it were yesterday”, Mariano Barbosa points out that “it was an unforgettable semifinal”, Juan Manuel Peña explains that they fought “leaving their souls until the end”, Héctor Font acknowledges that they stayed “eleven meters from glory »And Arzo confesses: “We cry as much as you do”, referring to the displeasure of the Submarine fans on that sad night.
Now, Unai Emery’s team is facing against history and against Arsenal that comes from losing 1-0 to Everton or drawing 1-1 against Fulham. The London team is currently tenth in the Premier League standings. And the yellows will face Arsenal at a good time of the season. Despite falling 1-2 to Barça, the image of a team led by Gerard was more than good and, despite being left with ten due to the expulsion of Trigueros, a title contender against the ropes. The team is entrusted to its recent and global good dynamics in the Europa League throughout the course, where it has not yet lost.