The Submarine draw their first friendly against a more match-ready Basel side
Villarreal CF kicked off their 2025/26 pre-season with a 3-3 draw against FC Basel, holding their own in an entertaining encounter against a Swiss side already far more advanced in their preparations ahead of next week’s Super League kick-off.
The Submarine’s goals came via an own goal from Ajeti, and strikes from Ayoze and Danjuma. New signings Alberto Moleiro and Rafa Marín both featured for one half each.
As is often the case in pre-season, the match started openly, with both teams throwing bodies forward whenever they had the ball.
After a few half-chances at either end, the opener arrived in the 12th minute. Shaqiri tried his luck with a curling effort from the right that deflected off a Villarreal defender and nestled into the back of the net.
Villarreal levelled in the 23rd minute when Ajeti inadvertently turned the ball into his own net following a corner. However, the Swiss striker made amends just four minutes later, making it 2-1 with a sharp finish.
The match continued at a lively pace. In the 33rd minute, Moleiro capitalised on a poor Basel clearance to win possession and played a long ball forward to Ayoze, who struck a powerful low shot from the edge of the area to bring the scores level once more.
Marcelino used the break to change his entire line-up. Though the tempo dropped slightly, the enthusiasm remained. In the 65th minute, Kevin Carlos restored Basel’s lead with a close-range finish following a well-worked move.
Villarreal responded immediately. Just one minute later, Pau Cabanes went close after being set up by Yeremy, but his angled effort fizzed wide. With ten minutes remaining, Gerard Moreno came close to scoring with a header from a Cabanes cross, but the best was yet to come.
In the 87th minute, Danjuma latched onto a cross from the left, raced in behind the defence and slotted a low effort beyond Hitz into the far corner to seal a deserved draw.
Line-ups:
FC Basel: Hitz; Vouilloz, Tsunemoto, Otele, Koindredi, Shaqiri, Traoré, Leroy, Ajeti, Schmid, Adjetey. Also played: Soticek, Kevin Carlos, Kade, Sigua, Cissé, Metinho, Barisic.
Villarreal CF:
- First half: Diego Conde; A. Alti, Foyth, Kambwala, S. Cardona; Pepe, Santi Comesaña, Parejo, Moleiro, Ayoze , Etta Eyong.
- Second half: Rubén Gómez; Pau Navarro, Rafa Marín, Logan Costa (Valou, min. 80), Pedraza; Yeremy, Denis Suárez, Pape Gueye, Pau Cabanes, Danjuma, Gerard Moreno.
Goals: 1-0. Min. 12: Shaqiri. 1-1. Min. 23: Ajeti (OG). 2-1. Min. 27: Ajeti. 2-2. Min. 33: Ayoze. 3-2. Min. 65: Kevin Carlos. 3-3. Min. 87: Danjuma.
Referee: Matthias Gächter. Booked: Pape Gueye & Denis Suárez (Villarreal); Traoré (Basel),
Matchday inforamtion: The Yellow Submarine’s first match of pre-season at the Cashpoint Arena in Altach (Austria).
