Happy to be in the Champions League semi finals, Villarreal earned a crucial win over Getafe with seven changes from their lineup against Bayern Munich. The victory came at the Alfonso Perez Coliseum, fueled by goals from Gerard Moreno and Manu Trigueros, lifting Villarreal to a 2-1 triumph over Getafe.
A quarter of an hour was enough for Villarreal to tilt the match in their favor. Getafe exploded onto the field with energy, and they opened the scoring five minutes later through Carlos Aleñá after a superb save by Gerónimo Rulli, a save sparked by Enes Ünal’s heel to kickoff the action.
The Argentine goalkeeper’s stop gave Villarreal the platform to seize the lead seven minutes later. Manu Trigueros sent a long ball to break through Paco Alcácer’s movement, with a right-footed cross that Moreno converted against David Soria.
Moments later Gerard Moreno intercepted in midfield, burst forward along the left flank, and fed the ball to his teammates. Manu Trigueros beat David Soria, lifting the visitors atop the scoreboard and leaving Quique Sánchez Flores’s plan in tatters as the strategy collapsed quickly.
The Madrid coach attempted to rally his players, but Getafe’s approach became predictable, especially in attack where Enes Ünal and Sandro Ramírez did not contribute much.
Before the break, Villarreal doubled their advantage. Samuel Chukwueze entered the fray, and a diagonal pass found Manu Trigueros unable to convert a one-on-one against Soria. Then a Moreno finish to the far post, with Alcácer providing the assist, sent the ball to the back of the net.
Qincomparable Sánchez Flores responded with an offensive double switch, bringing on Borja Mayoral and Oscar Rodríguez to reinforce a three-forward setup and add a midfielder into the mix.
That adjustment helped Getafe gain momentum, and Enes Ünal pulled one back after a scramble in the penalty area. A well-worked move from the left by Mathias Olivera set up a smart finish as the ball found its way through a crowded box to the target, with Getafe closing the gap.
To stem the tide, Emery reshuffled Villarreal with Giovani Lo Celso, Arnaut Danjuma, and Yeremy Pino entering the fray. The substitutions gave Villarreal more control, increased vertical play, and kept Getafe on the back foot as the clock wound down.
Getafe then seized the initiative late in the match, applying pressure in an all-out push for an equalizer. The squad appeared fatigued after a heavy fixture schedule but showed resilience as they fought to keep the score at 2-1 and push Villarreal deeper into their own half, inching closer to a top-six finish as the season heads toward the final rounds. A notable worry for Villarreal was the temporary withdrawal of Gerard Moreno due to a muscle issue, ten days before the Champions League semi-final first leg against Liverpool.
Data sheet:
1 – Getafe: David Soria; Damián (Juan Iglesias, m.84), Cabaco (Borja Mayoral, m.46), Mitrovic, Cuenca, Olivera; Aleñá (Oscar Rodríguez, art. 46), Arambarri, Maksimovic; Sandro (Gonzalo Villar, m.77) and Enes Ünal.
2 – Villarreal: Rulli; Aurier, Mandi, Pau Torres, Pedraza; Iborra, Manu Trigueros (Moi Gómez, m.84), Parejo (Capoue, m.67); Chukwueze (Yeremy Pino, m.67), Gerard Moreno (Danjuma, m.60) and Alcácer (Lo Celso, m.60).
Goals: 0-1, M.7 Gerard Moreno; 0-2, M.15 Manu Trigueros; 1-2, M.62 Enes Ünal.
Judge: Pablo González Fuertes (Asturian Committee). Damián Suárez (m.21) for Getafe warned Arambarri (60) and coach Quique Sánchez Flores (82).
Incidence: The match, part of the 32nd week of La Liga, attracted 9,657 spectators at the Alfonso Perez Coliseum in Getafe, Madrid.