Villarreal CF suffered a hard-fought 3-2 home defeat to RC Deportivo de La Coruña on September 5th a setback that worsens their difficult start to the season. The team managed by Íñigo Pérez, who no longer has Marcelino in charge, now faces its Champions League debut against an in-form Borussia Dortmund.

The loss leaves Villarreal in 16th place in LaLiga, with just two points from four matches and a record of zero wins, two draws, and two losses. The team has scored six goals and conceded eight, for a -2 goal difference, and sits ten points behind leaders Barcelona. Their next league fixture is at home against fourth-placed Real Betis on September 14th, according to verified club data. You can follow the team's progress in the standings and the full schedule on the fixtures page.

What happened in the Deportivo match?

The match at the Estadio de la Cerámica ended in a 3-2 away win. Forward Zakaria Eddahchouri scored Deportivo's first goal. The LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 fixture was decided in the closing minutes. A licensable image showed Eddahchouri's celebration after his goal, captured by photographer Jose Breton.

On social media, the performance of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was highlighted, who provided two assists and scored the winning goal for Depor in the 88th minute. "Auba, definitively, has still got it," was written about the striker. For Villarreal, American Alex Freeman played the full 90 minutes in his first start of the season.

What challenge awaits Villarreal in the Champions League?

Villarreal and Betis were placed at "opposite ends" before their European openers. The Yellow Submarine travels to Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park carrying a load of negative results in LaLiga. Their opponent, Borussia Dortmund, arrives with a perfect winning record in the Bundesliga and the support of their famous stand, the 'Yellow Wall'.

Recent history is not encouraging. Last season, the Castellón-based side conceded a heavy 0-4 defeat in Germany during a troubled European campaign. Tuesday's match in Dortmund marks the return of the top continental competition to the German stadium, where a full house is expected thanks to UEFA maintaining its authorization for standing sections. Tickets for the match were still available.

What did the match images show?

In addition to the goal celebration photo, another licensable image from the match was distributed, taken by David Aliaga. It showed Deportivo de La Coruña defender José María Giménez reacting during the play in Vila-real. These photographs, available to professional media through the NurPhoto platform, visually document the match's events.

The Giménez snapshot, with a resolution of 3600x4500 pixels, captures the intensity of the duel at La Cerámica. Villarreal, seeking to correct its course, must quickly find on-field solutions to improve its defensive numbers, which you can review in the team's stats. The squad now faces the immediate challenge of preparing for the trip to Germany to face a Dortmund side that is unstoppable at home.

Villarreal CF hosts Real Betis next on September 14th at La Cerámica.