Villarreal: Areola; Mario Gaspar, Eric Bailly (Bonera 83’), Víctor Ruíz, Jaume Costa; Jonathan Dos Santos, Bruno, Manu Trigueros (Tomás Pina 65’), Denis Suárez; Bakambu (Nahuel 72’), Soldado. 4-4-2.
Sevilla: Sergio Rico; Coke (N’Zonzi 62‘), Rami, Kolodziejczak, Trémoulinas; Krychowiak, Iborra (Llorente 70‘); Vitolo, Krohn-Dehli (Mariano 62‘), Konoplyanka; Gameiro. 4-2-3-1.
Goals:
1-0. 25. Mario Gaspar. Poked shot past keeper after corner fell to him inside area.
2-0. 61. Bakambu. Connected with Denis Suárez centre and turned shot past Rico
2-1. 76. Llorente. Far post header past Areola after Konoplyanka crossed from left.
Yellow cards: Eric Bailly 10’, Iborra 29’, Bakambu 32’, Soldado 50’, Rami 63’, Jaume Costa 82’, Konoplyanka 87’, Víctor Ruíz 94’.
Villarreal momentarily moved back up to the Champions League spots after a 2-1 win against Sevilla on Saturday afternoon, although Marcelino’s side ended the day in fifth place after Celta won later that night. The locals started well, Bruno and Bakambu bringing good saves out of Sergio Rico before Mario Gaspar opened the scoring midway through the first half, the Spanish international full back poking a shot across the keeper after a Denis Suárez corner fell to him close to goal. Rico had to keep out Bruno again after the restart, and with an hour on the clock Bakambu made it two with the easiest of tap-ins after Denis Suárez set him up. Fernando Llorente headed one back though from Konoplyanka’s cross with a quarter of an hour to go, and although Suárez fired a shot against the crossbar in reply, Areola had to make late stops from Konoplyanka and Llorente near the end to ensure the three points.