Villarreal: Areola; Mario Gaspar, Erik Bailly, Víctor Ruíz, Rukavina; Denis Suárez, Manu Trigueros, Bruno, Samu Castillejo (Nahuel 79‘); Soldado (Leo Baptistao 75’), Bakambu (Adrián López 82’). 4-4-2.
Leverkusen: Leno; Jedvaj, Tah, Papadopoulos, Wendell; Bellarabi (Mehmedi 85‘), Kramer (Frey 64‘), Calhanoglu, Brandt; Chicharito Hernández, Kiessling (Kruse 66’). 4-4-2.
Goals:
1-0. 04. Bakambu. Picked up Soldado pass and steered shot under Leno.
2-0. 55. Bakambu. Ran on to shoot under keeper on paid counter-attack.
Villarreal have set their sights on the Europa League this season, and they are looking good for a place in the quarter finals after a 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the Madrigal stadium. Marcelino’s side started well, Soldado bringing a good save out of Leno before lifting the ball over for Bakambu to open the scoring in only the fourth minute. Chicharito tested Areloa with a header later in the first half, but Soldado turned a Samu Castillejo cross just wide of the post, and some ten minutes in to the second half Bakambu got his second of the evening on a quick counter-attack following a Leverkusen corner. Substitute Kruse fired the best chance for the visitors over the top later on, and the German side ended with ten men after Jedvaj picked up a second yellow card right at the end.