The Yellow Submarine will face the English side in their final friendly before the start of the season (Sunday, 9pm CEST)
Villarreal CF and Aston Villa FC will face off this Sunday, 10th August, at 9pm CEST at the Yellow Submarine’s home ground in the iconic Trofeo de la Cerámica. This exciting friendly will serve as the final pre-season test for both sides. For Marcelino’s men, the European clash comes just five days before their LaLiga EA Sports 25/26 opener.
Attendance for the match against the Villans is free for Villarreal CF season-ticket holders, while the game will also be broadcast live on À Punt Media in Spain.
Exciting Return of the Trofeo de la Cerámica
The Trofeo de la Cerámica is Villarreal CF’s traditional summer tournament a friendly fixture that began in the year 2000 at the former El Madrigal and was played annually until 2015.
Due to ongoing renovation works at the Yellow Submarine’s stadium from that point onwards, the tournament had to be put on hold. Now, with the ambitious transformation of the Estadio de la Cerámica complete, the club has brought back this exciting fixture, which also serves as the team’s official presentation to the fans just days before the new season kicks off.
Historic clubs such as PSG, Lazio, PSV Eindhoven and Peñarol have previously faced the Yellow Submarine in this iconic summer tournament.
Aston Villa, a prestigious opponent
For this year’s edition, the invited guest is Aston Villa FC. The English side, based in the city of Birmingham, was founded in 1874, making it one of the pioneering clubs in the history of football. In fact, they are the team with the second-highest number of seasons played in the English top flight, only behind Everton FC.
Aston Villa’s history is filled with notable figures such as George Ramsay, the first professional football manager in the world (1886), and William McGregor, the club’s president and a founding member of the first-ever football league (1888).
The English club boasts an extensive trophy haul both domestically and in Europe: 7 English league titles, seven FA Cups, five League Cups, a FA Community Shield, a UEFA Super Cup and a UEFA Champions League. That last title remains their greatest achievement, earned in the 1981/82 season as debutants making them the fourth English club to win the prestigious trophy.
A Promising Present
Aston Villa are currently experiencing one of their most successful periods in recent years. The team has returned to the UEFA Champions League after 41 years and has qualified for European competition in each of the last three seasons.
The Villans’ recent rise cannot be understood without the arrival of Unai Emery to the touchline. The Spanish manager took over after making history with Villarreal CF—winning the club’s first-ever major title, the UEFA Europa League in 2021, and guiding them to the Champions League semi-finals in 2022.
Among the players who have worn both shirts, Pau Torres stands out. The ‘xiquet del poble‘ joined Aston Villa in 2023 after playing a key role in one of Villarreal CF’s most successful eras.
Only four other players have represented both Villarreal CF and Aston Villa FC throughout history: Robert Pires, Bertrand Traoré, Pepe Reina and Olof Mellberg.
