La Liga Preview: Villareal

Groguet, the Villareal mascot.

We’ve done England. We’ve done Germany. We’ve done France, Holland, Scotland, and even Azerbaijan. Now that all the money and headline-grabbing starlets are moving to Spain, we are too– in our comprehensive guide to all things La Liga.

Apologies to Sid Lowe, who wishes he could be as knowledgeable as we are. Without further ado… viva España!

Villareal is relatively new to high level Spanish soccer, but that is not to say Villareal is a lightweight.  The club first entered and first relegated from La Liga in the 1998-99 season, but promptly earned promotion again for the 2000-01 season and has remained in the top flight ever since.  It has not been nine seasons of down to the wire relegation battles either.

Rather, Villareal has managed to compete for the highest places in the league most years—finishing, in order since, 2000-01: 7th, 15th, 15th, 8th, 3rd, 7th, 5th, 2nd and 5th.  Fairly lofty placement considering the club had never played in the top level 11 years ago.  The team has two Intertoto Cups to its name (2003, 2004) and a Champions League semifinal in 2006, which may have been many fans’ first exposure to El Submarino Amarillo. 

Many American soccer fans are probably much more aware of the club nowadays thanks to a certain Haitian-American and, to a lesser extent, an Italian-American.  The club signed, in 2007, Giuseppe Rossi, the New Jersey-born American who spurned the USMNT for a chance to play for the Azzurri his ancestral homeland.  Rossi will lead the Villareal attack having scored eleven goals last season.

Villareal also signed, for a US record $10 million, nineteen-year-old Jozy Altidore.  The young American did not see much time for Villareal last season and spent the second-half loan to Xerez with his backside firmly planted on the bench.  Injury issues also hampered his first season in Spain, but Altidore showed enough promise in the Confederations Cup to get a loan to Premier League side Hull City.  In his first appearance this past weekend, Jozy increased all the American expectations of him tenfold when his first touch led to the Hull’s match-winning goal.  Jozy will not have much effect on Villareal’s season but you can be sure the club will be keeping an eye on him, as will most of the US soccer fans.

Coincidence or not, Villareal’s strong performances in La Liga began almost as soon as Spanzilian Marco Senna joined the side in 2002.  The naturalized Spaniard is a leading talent in the central holding midfield role.  His performance in Euro 2008 went unsung, in comparison to his teammates, but was the midfield linchpin for the Spanish champions.  His defensive presence was outstanding.  Senna stopped assaults from his midfield position and would initiate the Spanish counterattack.

Villareal should once again challenge for a Champions league spot this season.  Manager Manuel Pellegrini left for Real Madrid, but the new manager inherits a stable squad.  Fourth sounds about right.