Villarreal CF defender Santiago Mouriño has slammed a refereeing error following the team's 3-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League league phase. The Uruguayan insists the penalty awarded by Italian official Simone Sozza, converted by Serhou Guirassy, should not have been given and cost his team the match. The game at Signal Iduna Park left a bitter taste for Iñigo Pérez's side, who arrived at this European fixture after a tough start in La Liga, sitting 17th with just two points from four games.
The report from Mundo Deportivo captures the centre-back's strong words. "We lost due to a refereeing error. This is the Champions League, there are holds. We held each other. It wasn't a penalty," Mouriño stated firmly after the final whistle. The player conveyed the widespread frustration within the squad over a decision they believe robbed them of a positive result in Germany. Villarreal had initially fought back with a goal from Mouriño himself, but the penalty conceded shortly after swung the match back in favour of the hosts.
What happened with the controversial penalty?
The decisive incident occurred in the second half of the first matchday in the Champions League league phase. Referee Simone Sozza pointed to the spot for a foul on Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy following a tussle with a Villarreal defender. Mouriño described the action as a mutual hold, common in top-level football, and deemed the sanction excessive. Guirassy made no mistake from eleven metres, scoring a goal that proved decisive in the 3-2 final score. This defeat revived bad memories for the Spanish club, who lost 4-0 at the Westfalenstadion in the same competition last season.
How is Villarreal coping with their current situation?
The team managed by Iñigo Pérez faces a demanding period on multiple fronts. In La Liga, their situation is concerning, with a record of zero wins, two draws, and two losses leaving them ten points behind leaders Barcelona. The team has scored six goals but conceded eight, highlighting some defensive inconsistency. This run includes the significant absence of full-back Juan Foyth, who along with Carlos Romero is on the club's injuries list. The next challenge is a direct clash at the Cerámica against fourth-placed Real Betis on September 14th, a key match to revive their league campaign.
What does this result mean for their Champions League campaign?
The defeat in Dortmund is a setback at the start of the new, expanded Champions League league phase. Despite the result, the message from the dressing room is one of pride in the attitude and performance shown, which according to Mouriño deserved a better outcome. Villarreal showed character to initially come back in a stadium with great tradition and matched their opponents for long periods. The team needs to capitalise on that solidity in upcoming European matches to aim for the knockout stages, while simultaneously managing the demands of the domestic schedule, which you can follow on our fixtures page.
The immediate focus returns to La Liga. The squad will work this week to correct mistakes ahead of the important duel with Betis. Needing points to climb the standings, next Monday's match at the Cerámica presents a golden opportunity to change their momentum.
