The Dutchman Arnaut Danjuma (minute 8) scored the only goal of the match at the Estadio de la Cerámica.
It was enough for the Europa League champion team, which already surprised in the round of 16 by eliminating Juventus, to beat Bayern Munich, the prominent leader of the Bundesliga and which complicates its goal of regaining the European throne.
It is the first defeat of the German team as a visitor in the Champions League since September 2017, when they fell to Paris Saint-Germain, who was then coaching Unai Emery, precisely Villarreal’s current strategist.
The ‘Yellow Submarine’, seventh in the Spanish LaLiga and which has lost three of its last five games in its national championship, continues to amaze in the great continental event and is getting closer to the dream of playing the second semifinal in its history in the Champions League , after which he lost in the 2005-2006 campaign against the English Arsenal.
In the first part, Villarreal He came out without complexes and did not take long to get ahead, when in the 7th minute a cross shot by Dani Parejo was touched by Danjuma, who put his foot in to send the German goal deep.
The yellow team not only started with that blow, but also defensively contained a team accustomed to making its offensive quality its strong point.
In the 40th minute, the Villarreal fans celebrated another goal, with a center-shot from Frenchman Francis Coquelin who poisoned himself and tricked Manuel Neuer. But when the locals thought they had achieved the second, the Gallic player’s goal was annulled for offside.
Bayern finished the first half relieved by that disallowed goal, but worried after not shooting between the three posts in the first 45 minutes.
After the break, Serge Gnabry (49) was about to equalize, but his attempt went close to the post. Thomas Müller was about to touch to push the goal.
Villarreal responded with a shot from the edge of the box by Gerard Moreno (52) that crashed into the visitors’ post.
Moreno was also about to score in minute 57, but Alphonso Davies saved the second for the Castellón players.
Moreno tried from the middle of the field when he saw Neuer out of place, in minute 62, but without success.
Villarreal continued to forgive: in minute 66, Danjuma had a great chance but failed against Neuer, when he seemed to have everything in his favour.
Bayern tried to react with more will than success.
Davies tried from the edge of the box (68), but Argentine goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli saved it without major complications.
In the final stretch of the match, Bayern accelerated, looking to repeat what happened in the first leg of the round of 16, when they managed to equalize in the final moments in Salzburg, before thrashing in the second leg.
But Villarreal did not have the misfortune of the Austrians and were able to maintain their victory.
He was even left with the bitter taste of not having achieved a higher income for the second leg in Germany due to his numerous clear chances, such as the one Alfonso Pedraza had in 87.
Kingsley Coman desperately tried to equalize (89), but Rulli was again attentive to defend the local goal.
At the Allianz Arena on Tuesday of next week, Bayern will try to turn around a tie that for the moment is set to surprise.
Source: Ambito
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