Where is Villarreal ‘paradoxical’?

Like many other famous clubs in the top football village, Liverpool is nicknamed “The Reds” because their traditional outfit consists of all red. In stark contrast, not only with Liverpool but with “all world the rest”, Villarreal, because of the nickname “Golden Submarine”, switched to using an all-yellow “suitable” outfit in the 21st century.

Of course, that’s just a “sideline” detail. But it can also be seen as a typical detail for all the “paradoxes” that Villarreal created, for the team from this small city to reach out and step into the ranks of the “big four” of Villarreal. Champions League football season 2021-2022.

Villarreal fans at Anfield on the morning of April 28 – VN time reuters

Also to add: this is not the first time. Villarreal participated in the semi-finals of the Champions League in the 2005-2006 season, although when UEFA upgraded the Cup C1 Europe became a prestigious Champions League tournament in the 1992-1993 season, Villarreal has never appeared at the highest level in the Spanish football village (Villarreal first participated in La Liga in 1998).

Villarreal’s home stadium Estadio de la Ceramica has a capacity of 23,500, which can accommodate nearly half of Villarreal’s population. There (when it was an old yard worse but not much smaller), youth Villarreal used to passionately sing along to their Spanish lyrics to the British band The Beatles’ popular song “Yellow Submarine,” blaring from battery-powered cassettes. The Beatles released “Yellow Submarine” in 1966, in the 1967-68 season, Villarreal reached a major milestone: gaining the right to rise to the… third place in the Spanish football village. The nickname “Golden Submarine” has been associated with Villarreal ever since.

It’s also ironic: the British band The Beatles were formed in Liverpool. When the “Golden Submarine” reached the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time, they met rival England Arsenal in 2006. Recently, “Golden Submarine” has come to the root of that nickname – as a guest on the field. Liverpool in the semi-finals of the Champions League this season (resulting… lost 0-2).

Villarreal compared to Liverpool is like an egg against a rock? Depends on the point of view. Many people assert: a small team, with no reputation, but eliminated Juventus and Bayern Munich to enter the semi-finals must be qualified to compete with Liverpool. In fact, anything can happen in the sport Soccer – that’s more than enough. That cliché and familiar argument cannot make Villarreal equal to Liverpool. Besides, people are forced to talk about Villarreal’s professional strength, while this team is “paradoxical” right from the nickname as mentioned. Sticking to the technicalities, how successful an unknown Villarreal can be in top football!

The “poor family” team that resonates in the Champions League is not uncommon. Man City of the Pep Guardiola must have not forgotten Monaco. Recently, Ajax Amsterdam or RB Leipzig also entered the semi-finals. These are pure surprises, involving undiscovered young talent. From Kylian Mbappe, Fabinho, Bernardo Silva to Frenkie De Jong, Matthijs De Ligt, Dayot Upamecano… Villarreal is different. This team used to win Europa League Last season, now reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League. But no one looked at the Villarreal squad to find a future star. There is no talent, much less undiscovered young talent. Real!

Villarreal president Fernando Roig has a stake in Mercadona – a famous supermarket in Spain. Fernando’s brother, Juan, has the largest stake, is also the character who runs this very successful retail system. Mercadona regularly collects customers’ opinions on the supermarket’s products. And then, Juan and Fernando Roig have a great lesson: the value of a product is sometimes not in itself, but in how it is made. consumers use it. They sell vinegar wine as a common condiment, only to discover that many customers buy their vinegar wine to… remove stains from furniture. It is also a funny, arrogant way, but very suitable to imagine the beauty of the Villarreal team.

Coach Unai Emery uses mid-level players but Villarreal is still successful reuters

That is how Villarreal used mediocre players in the top football village, in their own way, and with great success! Told you, don’t take the trouble to meticulously analyze the professional qualities of Villarreal’s players. Vicente Iborra (34 years old) from Leicester. Pervis Estupinan hails from Watford, joining Villarreal after being “loaned” to five different teams, including Granada B. Etienne Capoue (33) also only comes from Watford. Francis Coquelin, Dani Pajero… are all in the “hash” age, they have all been drifters of famous football teams many years ago. Who does not know their mediocrity. How could anyone hunt them down! It’s just that Villarreal’s meager pool of players hovers over the horizon because they’re being used… in other ways. The more people try to talk about the professional value of the Villarreal players, the more… the key is wrong because of that.

How to use mediocre players “in the eyes of the world” to resounding success, then that is the unique place of coach Unai Emery. Emery himself is no different from his players. Having been sacked by Arsenal, Emery went to Villarreal and immediately led this team to the Europa League title, before becoming famous in the Champions League these days.