Villarreal have been exceeding all expectations playing in European competitions over the last two seasons, but they could miss out on European qualification completely this season. Even though the Yellow Submarine still dreams of eliminating Liverpool despite losing 2-0 at Anfield, they managed to lose out to La Liga’s 19th-placed Alaves on Saturday afternoon.3 – Alaves’s Victor Laguardia has scored three goals in 31 appearances in LaLiga 2021/22, his highest tally in a single season in the competition. Emergent. pic.twitter.com/70r5Zm2wOx— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 30, 2022 Alaves got off to a perfect start just four minutes in after Víctor Laguardia headed in from a corner. The Yellow Submarine attacked and looked in control despite going behind, but it was one of those days when hardly anything went the right way.Boulaye Dia and Alfonso Pedraza were unluckily not to level for Unai Emery’s side. It was bad for the yellows, but it’s gotten even worse after Gonzalo Duarte doubled the lead just before the break.Samuel Chukwueze managed to get his team back in the game with a well-taken solo goal, but not even the Nigerian ace could do everything alone.
The hosts were failed by their defence far too many time this season, but today they managed to hold on and not succumb to Villareal’s attacks.The result earned the blue and whites only their second win in 10 matches, whereas Villarreal succumbed to their third league loss against relegation contenders. They lost to Cadiz and Levante earlier in the season – something that shouldn’t happen to a team that still harbours ambitions of making the UEFA Champions League finalLA LIGAFridaySevilla – Cadiz 1-1 (1-0)/En Nesyri 7 – Perez 66/SaturdayAlaves – Villareal 2-1 (2-0)/Laguardia 4, Escalante 31 – Chukwueze 47/17.15: (1.56) Real Madrid (4.40) Espanyol (6.75)19.30: (2.40) Valencia (3.35) Levante (3.30)22.00: (3.15) Ath.Bilbao (3.05) Atl.Madrid (2.65)Sunday15.00: (3.00) Elche (3.05) Osasuna (2.75)17.15: (2.90) Granada (3.10) Celta (2.60)19.30: (3.20) Rayo Vallecano (3.10) Sociedad (2.45)22.00: (1.35) Barcelona (5.30) Mallorca (8.00)Monday22.00: (2.81) Getafe (2.90) Betis (2.90)***odds are subject to change
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