News Archive

Champions League play-off, second leg

Monaco 1 - Villarreal 0

Villarreal failed to qualify for the Champions League after losing 1-0 at Monaco, and they will have to make do with a place in the Europa League this year. After the 1-2 defeat in the first leg, Fran Escribá’s team had to score twice away from home. As in the first leg however he was missing his two first choice strikers, Soldado and Bakambu both out injured, and new signing Santos Borré failed to find a way past Subasic when he got free on goal before the break. Sergio Asenjo had to save from Germain and Lemar at the other end, and Santos got clear again after the restart only to fire his shot wide of the mark. With the game already in injury time the locals were awarded a controversial penalty when a cross hit Musacchio from behind in the area, the referee ruling that the ball had hit his arm, and Fabinho stepped up to fire home the resulting spot kick. In the end though it was fairly academic, as even without that the French league side (who were knocked out by Valencia at this stage last season) would have gone through. (23.08.16)