Villarreal CF started their UEFA Champions League league phase campaign with a 3-2 defeat away to Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday. A match full of twists saw the Spanish side suffer their first setback in this season's continental competition.
The Yellow Submarine, entering this European fixture after a tough start in La Liga where they sit 17th with just two points from four games, showed character to come back from an initial own goal. The absence of defenders like Juan Foyth and Carlos Romero, listed on our injuries page, was felt in a back line that has conceded eight goals domestically.
How did the match unfold in Dortmund?
The first half ended goalless, with both teams sizing each other up. The scoreboard changed in the 53rd minute, but against Dortmund's interests. A Villarreal shot deflected by Renato Veiga ended up in his own net, surprisingly putting the visitors ahead. The push from Marcelino García Toral's team didn't stop there. In the 66th minute, Santiago Mouriño extended the lead by connecting with a precise cross from Georges Mikautadze, making it 0-2 and sowing doubt in the German giant.
However, Dortmund reacted. Serhou Guirassy began his particular performance by scoring the 1-2 in the 80th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error in front of Péter Gulácsi's goal. Just five minutes later, the same Guirassy, from the penalty spot after a VAR review for a clear foul in the Spanish area, leveled the match. The winning goal for the hosts came in stoppage time, but in the cruelest way for Villarreal. In the 92nd minute, during a corner in favor of the Spanish team, Guirassy deflected the ball again, this time into his own net, sealing the definitive 3-2 scoreline.
What context did Villarreal have before the match?
The team arrived in Germany with the urgency to find a good result to counterbalance their irregular start to the season at home. With a record of zero wins, two draws, and two losses in La Liga, and ten points behind leaders Barcelona, every point in Europe gains extra value. The need for improvement is palpable, especially in defense, where the team has conceded more goals than they have scored, with a tally of six for and eight against.
This stumble in the Champions League comes just before an important fixture at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Next Saturday, September 14th, Villarreal CF will host Real Betis, currently fourth in the table, in a key match to try and climb the domestic standings. Fans can check the full schedule in our fixtures section.
What does this defeat mean for the league phase?
For Borussia Dortmund, this win means the first three points in the tournament. For Villarreal, it's a bitter start in a league format where every result carries significant weight. The Champions League League Phase is a marathon, and losing the first match by a narrow margin, and in such a dramatic fashion, leaves a bittersweet taste but is not definitive.
The team showed they can hurt any opponent, as they did by going 0-2 ahead in a fortress as tough as Signal Iduna Park. The effectiveness of Mouriño and the assist from Mikautadze are positive takeaways. However, the inability to manage the lead and the defensive errors in the final minutes are aspects the coaching staff must polish for upcoming commitments, both in Europe and in the fight to move up the La Liga standings.
Villarreal CF now turns its attention to the league match against Real Betis on September 14th, a game where the fans hope to see the first home win of the season.
