Europa League | Villarreal 5-Sivasspor 3 Villarreal comes up with the formula: Take the 'Kubo' plus Alcácer

It cost him much more than expected, because in the first phase of the Europa League there are teams so unknown to the ordinary citizen as they are unpronounceable and dangerous, but he passed the first test with a landslide. Villarreal slapped the ghosts against an athletic and talented opponent in attack and did their homework in a crazy game. From him, Emery will be able to rescue many green shoots and dwell on other defects to polish, but he will be remembered, above all, because Rulli lived a nightmare, because Foyth showed his potential, due to the fact that Kubo showed that he has played much less, so far, than he deserves and since Alcácer presented his candidacy for the National Team towards the European Championship.

Villarreal started the game like a shot. With the return to 4-4-2 and Kubo between the lines he found numerous corridors through which he could walk in just a few touches. Sivasspor had studied Emery's 4-3-3 and, when they realized the metamorphosis, they were already 2-0. Kubo made the first (13 ') by taking advantage of a rejection from Samassa, a cat with the hands of a Playmobil. The most critical madridismo with his assignment celebrated it as much or more than Emery. The Japanese made his debut in the eleven and rounded off a great first half with a good assist to Bacca in the second (20 '), in which the Colombian showed that his aim is still intact. Kubo wouldn't settle and the second half made another gift and left more class details.

Rulli kept the rent minutes later with a feline stop, but could not do anything with Kayode's claw (33 '), a gazelle that left Albiol in his run along the way. Villarreal reacted in the best way. Instantly, with integrity and courage. At the minute of the blow, Bacca caused a reckless penalty from Yalçin that the goalkeeper, taking advantage of the fact that there is no VAR at this point, stopped with both feet outside the pot. The striker turned, by accident, what was the sentence into the gift of a new life for his opponent. And the Sivasspor took advantage of it. He tightened the lines, bit and was planted at halftime with a draw he was looking for and which he found thanks to a great header from Yatabaré, a Weah-type beast.

Emery was forced to move the cocktail shaker because the Turks kept hounding and backing off, then loosening good cons. He returned first to the three midfielders with the obsession to regain solidity. Iborra left the break for another day and sat Baena, the surprise. The retouching on the board allowed Chukwueze to free himself on the left and put Kubo closer to the opposite band, an attraction park for him. The correcting effect did not finish working. Villarreal regained order and possession. And yet it did not come to the area fluently. It had to be a set piece. A masterfully thrown corner by Kubo was finished off powerfully by Foyth, a central defender with more future than past.

The Sivasspor was not taken for granted. His attack is of another category. This time Gradel, whose change was already requested by his coach, plugged in an exquisite foul in 64, confirming to Rulli that his premiere will never forget it and, incidentally, reminding Emery that in Europe rotations are a toll of the expensive ones. The technician had to throw more headlines (Moi, Pedraza) and Alcácer for the final section. And he was right. Paco, with the usual secrecy, sneaked into the area a couple of times to solve the ballot and send a loving message to Luis Enrique.

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Emery: “Without giving them much, they have done us a lot of damage “

“Too much has happened in 90 minutes, more in our favor. Without giving them much, they have hurt us quite a bit. Victory is important because this competition is difficult and hard to win. We anticipated an open match and it has been. We must do self-criticism within victory to be stronger at certain times. Lack of concentration? I do not think it's that. They were strong and had potential. We have earned certain actions and they have marked us. With little, they gave the feeling that they could do something to us. We use the game to give minutes and distribute responsibility to the people who we believe can help us. We must take that residue to better develop that capacity. I'm happy with the victory and it has to give us confidence to manage the squad in this competition and in the League. “