Partizan Belgrade 1 - Villarreal 1

Partizan: Kralj; Mirkovic, Djordjevic, Emeghara, Rnic; Tomic, Brnovic, Vukcevic, Ciric (Grubjesic 46'); Ilic (Nadj 62'), Boya. 4-4-2.
Villarreal: Reina; Armando Sá, Quique Alvarez, Peña, Arruabarrena; Cazorla (Javi Venta 85'), Josico, César Arzo, Héctor Font; Guayre, Xisco Nadal (Marcos 85'). 4-4-2.

Goals:
0-1. 17. Cazorla. Picked up Xisco pass and rounded keeper to score.
1-1. 66. Tomic (penalty). When Peña blocked cross with arm in the area.

A Villarreal side packed with youngsters got the point they needed to make it through to the next round of the competition after drawing 1-1 with Partizan Belgrade. Between injuries, suspensions and ineligible players, Pellegrini had to include four of his youth internationals in his starting line up, with others on the bench. But they put up a confident display, and took the lead, albeit against the run of play, when Cazorla picked up a pass from Xisco to round the keeper and score.

Up to that point the Serbians had looked the more dangerous, with Reina having to save from Camerooni striker Boya early on. But a well organized defence kept them out from there on, and Guayre could have increased the lead a couple of times early in the second half.

Partizan equalised though from the penalty spot, ex Alavés midfielder Tomic scoring after the referee ruled that Peña had handled deliberately in the area. And when news came through that Egaleo and Lazio were drawing in the other group match, and with both teams knowing that the result would mean they both go through to the last 32 (together with Middlesbrough), nobody did anything to rock the boat.