Villarreal has experienced two Europa League semi-finals, one Copa del Rey semi-final, and was leader of Primera División
Ten years to remember. Villarreal is about to close a remarkable decade during which the Submarine has reached the UEFA Europa League semi-finals twice, topped the Primera División and also played in a Copa del Rey semi-final. But the Yellows lived through many more unforgettable moments. There are also the likes of Mario Gaspar as the player with the most games played, and Cédric Bakambu as the Yellows’ top goalscorer.
- EUROPA LEAGUE SEMIFINALISTS IN 2010-11 AND 2015-16
The Submarine reached the semi-finals of the ‘new’ Europa League in the 2010-2011 season, where they fell to FC Porto, and was once again one step away from the Europa League final in 2015-2016. The Yellows lost to Liverpool FC in the semi-finals, despite winning 1-0 in Vila-real with a goal from Adrián López.
- RETURN TO THE TOP DIVISION INCLUDING A RECORD NUMBER OF POINTS
Villarreal returned to Primera División in the 2012-2013 season with an unforgettable goal from Jonathan Pereira against UD Almería on the final matchday (1-0). The Yellows matched the record number of points (77) of the 2007-2008 Primera league runners-up.
- ONE STEP AWAY FROM THE COPA DEL REY FINAL IN 2015
The Submarine reached the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey in 2014-2015, in which they fell to the team that would go to be champion, FC Barcelona. Villarreal beat Getafe in the quarterfinals (1-0 at home and 0-1 away). Gerard Moreno scored the only goal at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez after dribbling past the goalkeeper.
- LEADERS OF THE FIRST DIVISION
League leaders for the first time in history. Villarreal occupied the top position of the Primera table in the sixth matchday of the 2015-2016 season after beating Atlético Madrid 1-0 with a goal from Leo Baptistao. The Yellows totalled 16 points, one more than FC Barcelona and two more than Real Madrid CF.
- FROM MESTALLA TO EUROPE
Villarreal managed to qualify for European competition for two consecutive years by beating Valencia FC at Mestalla. In the 2015-2016 season, they won 0-2 with goals from Samu García and Adrián López and secured fourth position in the top-flight to advance to the Champions League; and in 2016-2017, they won 1-3 with goals from Roberto Soldado, Manu Trigueros and Nicola Sansone, finishing fifth and qualifying for the Europa League.
- OPENING OF THE ESTADIO DE LA CERÁMICA
Villarreal CF announced on 8th January 2017 the new name of the ‘Estadio de la Cerámica’ before the league match against FC Barcelona in a spectacular inauguration. It was attended by thousands of fans.
- THE TEAM AND FANS SECURED THEIR SAFETY
The team and the fans closely avoided relegation to remain in the top division for one more season in 2018-2019. After a tough campaign, the Submarine defeated SD Eibar at the Estadio de la Cerámica in Matchday 37 (1-0) with a goal from Toko Ekambi and mathematically secured their safety. A game in which the fans played a fundamental role with a spectacular reception to the team bus and their subsequent encouragement throughout the match.
- PAU, THE FIRST PLAYER FROM VILA-REAL TO DEBUT WITH THE SPANISH NATIONAL TEAM
An idyllic debut! The home-grown player Pau Francisco Torres became the first player born in Vila-real to debut with the Spanish National Team on the 15th November 2019. In addition, the centre-back scored on his first touch of the ball with his chest against Malta (7-0). Four players from the club featured in this game for ‘La Roja’: Pau, Santi Cazorla, Gerard Moreno and Raúl Albiol.
- MARIO GASPAR, THE FOOTBALLER WITH THE MOST GAMES PLAYED OF THE DECADE
The right-winger has the honor of being the Villarreal player with the most official matches played in the last ten years. Mario Gaspar has accumulated 360 games within the Primera División and Segunda División, and European and Copa del Rey competitions with the first team. His nearest rival is Bruno Soriano with 347 games played in the last decade. Manu Trigueros is in third place with 304 matches.
- CÉDRIC BAKAMBU, THE TOP GOALSCORER IN THE LAST TEN YEARS
The striker Cédric Bakambu is Villarreal’s top goalscorer of the last ten years. ‘Bakagoal’ scored 47 times in the two and a half seasons that he was dressed in yellow (22+11+14). He is closely followed by Giuseppe Rossi with 44 goals scored as a Submarine player in the last decade. Previously he scored many more, since ‘Beppe’ is the top goalscorer in the history of Villarreal with 82.
