What's Going Wrong at Villarreal?

Villarreal had plenty to be proud of last season, as the club’s hierarchy recognised an early problem and resolved it quickly. Manager Fran Escribá had to cope with a multitude of injuries early on, and poor results piled up. Things hit rock-bottom with a 4-0 loss against Getafe in September, and Escribá was sacked.

Reserves coach Javier Calleja took over, and was able to get the Yellow Submarine headed in the right direction once again. Villarreal finished fifth in La Liga last term, while also topping their group in the UEFA Europa League. They completed the league season winning four of their last six games, and there were several reasons for positivity ahead of 2018-19.

The summer was a busy time for the club, and reinforcements were a top priority in the transfer market. The attack received quite a bit of attention, as the board looked to ensure that scoring goals would not be an issue in the new campaign. Karl Toko Ekambi (Angers) and Gerard Moreno (Espanyol) were both added to boost the front-line, while Carlos Bacca’s loan from AC Milan was made permanent.

Other areas were improved for Villarreal also, with the likes of Miguel Layún, Santiago Cáseres and free agent Santi Cazorla giving Calleja’s squad even more depth. With talent already present in the midfield with Manu Trigueros and Pablo Fornals, there was a feeling at El Madrigal that something special was on the horizon. Instead, it has been the exact opposite.