(Football news) For Villarreal CF, 2024 got off to a rough start. Marcelino’s side lost their first three fixtures of the new calendar year, including a disappointing Copa del Rey exit against third-tier Unionistas de Salamanca. When they followed that up with a 3-0 loss at UD Las Palmas, Villarreal CF looked lost.
Since then, however, Villarreal CF have gone seven LALIGA EA SPORTS matches undefeated, having won three and drawn four. Their two most recent performances have been the most impressive, winning 3-1 away at Real Sociedad in Matchday 26 before producing a resounding 5-1 victory when hosting Granada CF in Matchday 27 on Sunday. It’s the first time all campaign that Villarreal CF have won back-to-back league matches.
This was also the perfect way for El Submarino Amarillo to warm up for their return to the Europa League, as they’ll visit Marseille for their Round of 16 first leg on Thursday. Having won their group, Villarreal CF were able to skip the playoff round and now they return to continental action against the club Marcelino was coaching at the beginning of this season, before his move to the Estadio de la Cerámica dugout.
In the view of the coach, Villarreal CF’s upturn in form is thanks to the team’s improved finishing. As he put it after Sunday’s match: “What has changed is that we’re more clinical. With our first two chances and with two excellent pieces of play, we scored two goals. In other games, we’re also creating but then we don’t score. Scoring five goals from 10 shots isn’t normal either. Neither of these situations is the norm. But, all the players have been working well. We’re on the right track and the players are reaching their best level. I’m very proud, satisfied and grateful.”
The improvement in the finishing is exemplified in Alexander Sørloth, the Norwegian striker who scored a hat-trick against Granada CF but who was singled out by Marcelino for criticism just a few weeks ago. During a 0-0 draw with Cádiz CF at the beginning of February, the coach hooked the striker at half-time and later explained his reasoning with a message in the post-match press conference. “In 45 minutes you didn’t manage a shot on goal when you had plenty of time to do so,” the coach stated. “If you don’t do that then the coach will take decisions. There’s a need to make the most of every minute.”
That message seems to have resonated with Sørloth, who scored two goals in the opening 20 minutes against Granada CF, converting his first two chances. With his hat-trick, he now has six LALIGA EA SPORTS goals in 2024, the most of any player in the competition this calendar year.
The other two players who got on the scoresheet on Sunday were Étienne Capoue and Gonçalo Guedes, with the latter having arrived at the club in the January transfer window to contribute to the improvement in the team’s attack. The Portuguese is averaging one direct goal participation every 97 minutes, having netted one goal and provided two assists already.
Considering Villarreal CF have several injuries right now and to important players, such as Raúl Albiol, Juan Foyth, Alfonso Pedraza and Yéremi Pino, it’s great news for Marcelino that the other members of his squad are stepping up and hitting their best form at this crucial stage of the season. Thursday’s game at the Stade Vélodrome will be an especially significant one for the Spanish coach, and he can travel back to France with extra confidence following his current club’s recent improvement.
Also read: 10 things we learned this week in LALIGA EA SPORTS
