Villarreal fall to Aston Villa in action-packed match (0-2)
Villarreal CF were beaten 0-2 by Aston Villa in the Trofeu de la Ceràmica, in a match packed with talking points — including Juan Foyth’s contract renewal, Ilias Akhomach’s return from injury and Thomas Partey’s debut.
The Trofeu de la Ceràmica returned to the home of the Yellows with a special friendly against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, which also featured former Villarreal defender Pau Torres.
Just before kick-off, the crowd witnessed one of the most anticipated announcements of the summer. Juan Foyth stepped onto the pitch alongside club president Fernando Roig to confirm his contract extension until 2029.
The first chance of the match fell to Santi Comesaña in the 14th minute, but his right-footed effort flew over the bar. Just three minutes later came one of the clearest opportunities of the game: Yeremy Pino reached the byline and pulled the ball back for Gerard Moreno, who aimed for the top corner but saw his shot fly inches wide.
Aston Villa made no mistake with their first clear chance. Ollie Watkins pounced on a rebound from Luiz Júnior to make it 0-1 (23’).
The Yellow Submarine reacted well and pressed for an equaliser, with Gerard Moreno the most active in attack. He went close in the 24th minute with a strike that skimmed the post, and again in the 30th minute with a double chance that somehow stayed out. The home fans showed their appreciation, chanting the No.7’s name.
The second goal came just after the restart. Emiliano Buendía scored with a precise strike from the edge of the area to beat Diego Conde (48’).
Akhomach returns, Partey makes debut
With 17 minutes remaining, Marcelino made two significant substitutions. Ilias Akhomach made his comeback from a serious knee injury, having last played on 9th November 2024, while Thomas Partey made his first appearance in the yellow shirt following his signing last Thursday.
Villarreal’s next match will be their official 2025/26 LALIGA EA SPORTS opener against Real Oviedo at the Estadio de la Cerámica on Friday at 9:30pm CEST.
