Villarreal will be

among the sixteen best teams on

Monday

in the draw for the knockout stages of the Champions League

, which they agreed to through the front door. A draw was enough for Unai Emery's team in Bergamo, where he had to extend his stay after the snowfall that forced the game to be postponed on Wednesday and from where he left with a

vindictive victory (2-3)

. The Castellón team

showed the effectiveness

it has been missing throughout the season to beat an Atalanta whose reaction in the final stretch was close to jeopardizing the yellow's triumph.

Villarreal

had a practically perfect match

on the most important day. Emery's team had offered good times in this group stage, but many times without reward, as in the Old Trafford exhibition that Cristiano Ronaldo left to nothing. In Bergamo, however, he gave an almost impeccable performance, without great fanfare but with the sobriety and efficiency that the occasion required.

It helped a lot, of course, that he scored in the first one he had, taking advantage of the risks that Atalanta usually take. A doubt from Demiral at the exit of the ball, already in the opposite field, made Parejo a pass to the back of the Italian defense for Danjuma to run. And few do it like the Dutchman, whose power was enough to render Palomino's attempt to intercept him sterile. He faced Muso and slipped the ball between his legs to make qualifying a bit more difficult for an Atalanta who needed victory to be in the round of 16.

The reaction of Gasperini's team was as expected, throwing himself up with everything and cornering the Castellón for a few minutes. Hateboer and Maehle were two more wingers in an offense led by Ilicic and with the always intimidating Zapata in the middle, although the Colombian found a tough nut to crack in Albiol. The Villarreal defense knew how to tie the Italian attack well, whose best chances came in set pieces. The aerial potential of Toloi and Demiral led to separate shots well resolved by Rulli, who also produced a good hand to clear a shot from Freuler from the edge.

The Bergamo offensive was losing intensity with the passing of the minutes, as Emery's men were cutting their rival's percentage of possession. With two lines of four very close together and trying not to recoil too much, Villarreal managed to deactivate the dangerous Italian attack. In addition, he did not limit himself to defending and occasionally threw a blow with which to prevent Atalanta from coming too high. Almost all of them bore the signature of

Danjuma, a lethal footballer with ground ahead to run

but who also knows how to handle himself well in the area,

as he would demonstrate at 0-3

. The Dutchman picked up a pass from Gerard after a great action from the Catalan and turned to hit the short stick.

It was

the finishing touch for Atalanta, who minutes before the break

had seen the yellows open a gap with a good action from Capoue culminated by the French player himself.

Gasperini had tried to make his team react by putting

Djimsiti and Malinovskyi in to start the second half and added more fuel

after the third giving Muriel entry.

Because what Atalanta did not do, of course, was throw in the towel.

Two balls to the sticks - a powerful free-kick by Malinovskyi and a shot by Zapata - were the prelude to the Italian reaction, which was about to put fear in the body of

a Villarreal that Emery's fatigue and delay at the time of refreshing the equipment they took their toll.

There were twenty minutes to go when Malinovskyi closed the gap with a shot from the front that touched lightly on the heel of Moi Gómez to leave Rulli sold.

And ten when Zapata made the second after receiving from Ilicic and lifting the ball over the exit of the Argentine goalkeeper.

And Muriel still had time to hit the post with a shot whose rejection went wide after bouncing off Toloi but the Italian reaction did not prevent Villarreal from qualifying.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Villarreal CF

  • Castellon

  • Champions League

Champions LeagueThe snow forces the game between Atalanta and Villarreal to be postponed

LaLiga Santander 2021 - 2022 Villarreal renews Manu Trigueros until 2025

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