The ‘Old Lady’ will be the first of Europe’s top teams to visit the Yellow Submarine this season (Wednesday, 9pm CEST)
The Champions League returns to La Cerámica. Villarreal CF will welcome Juventus FC this Wednesday at 9pm CEST for their first home match in the world’s most prestigious club competition. The notes of football’s most famous anthem will once again echo through Vila-real and the renovated Estadio de la Cerámica, recalling goals that left us speechless, matches that marked our history, and moments that made us dream.
The Yellow Submarine arrives in great form, having won three consecutive LaLiga matches since their last Champions League fixture, in which, despite a strong performance and a competitive display, they fell narrowly to Tottenham Hotspur in London (1-0).
With a fantastic domestic run that places Marcelino’s side in an impressive third in LALIGA, it’s time to switch focus to the Champions League. A competition as demanding as it is thrilling, it offers the chance to enjoy top-level football and test the proven competitive capacity of Marcelino García Toral’s team against the best clubs in the world. An elite sporting experience for the squad and a genuine treat for Villarreal CF fans.
Juventus FC, a European giant
Now the Yellow Submarine faces the ‘Old Lady’. A team of absolute stature, two-time European champions and the most decorated club in Italian history. Juventus drew their opening Champions League match at home against Borussia Dortmund (4-4). In Serie A, Juve sit fourth, with three wins and two draws from their first five games. The two draws, more recent than their victories, came away at Hellas Verona and at home against Atalanta last weekend.
On the pitch, Igor Tudor’s side is a highly competitive unit, packed with top-class players. Their attacking line is particularly dangerous, with talents such as Kenan Yildiz, Francisco Conceiçao, Loïs Openda, Jonathan David, and Dusan Vlahovic. The latter has already scored four goals in just six matches, including two in Juve’s only Champions League fixture so far.
A single historic precedent for the Yellow Submarine
Juventus and Villarreal have only met once in European competition. The two sides were drawn together in the Round of 16 of the 2021/22 Champions League, Villarreal’s last appearance in the top-tier European competition.
At that time, the Yellow Submarine were the reigning UEFA Europa League champions, having qualified as runners-up in their group behind Manchester United. Juventus had topped their group, overtaking Chelsea, who were then Champions League holders. The Italians were favourites in the tie, but the Yellow Submarine produced a surprise.
A tightly contested 1-1 draw at La Cerámica saw Juventus take the lead before the first minute, only for Parejo to equalise and leave the tie open for the return in Italy. At the Juventus Stadium, Villarreal withstood a strong local start, waited for the right moment, and struck decisively to take the tie.
In the final stages, Gerard, Pau Torres, and Danjuma scored the three goals that secured a legendary and emphatic victory for Villarreal CF at one of the most challenging grounds in Europe.
