Europa League: Villarreal vs Manchester United

Enlarge image

Cheering players from Villarreal CF.

Photo: Maja Hitij / Getty Images

A penalty shoot-out for the history books:

They flew to the left, to the right, stood for a long time, nothing helped.

Goalkeepers David De Gea and Gerónimo Rulli had to pass 20 penalties in a row before it was their turn.

Rulli scored for Villarreal, then parried his opponent's penalty.

The first European Cup victory of his club was secured.

The result:

Villarreal FC won the 2020/2021 Europa League with a 11:10 (1-1, 1-1, 1-0) penalty shoot-out against Manchester United.

Click here for the match report.

The first half:

United had the ball (66 percent possession), United ran, but United had no chances.

That retaliated against the best standard team in the Europa League.

A free-kick cross from the half-field landed at Gerard, who overcame David De Gea from close range in the English goal (29th minute).

At the Submarino Amarillo, the yellow submarine, the central defenders Raúl Abiol and Pau towered over a stable defensive.

Not much else went up at Villarreal, but one goal was enough.

Gerard, superstar:

Nobody has scored more goals than Gerard in this Europa League season - seven.

He also scored 23 times in the domestic league.

The reward: The nomination for the Spanish European Championship squad, although the 29-year-old made his debut in the national dress only a year and a half ago.

His 1-0 win was a historic goal in the history of the European Cup between these two teams: there have been four meetings so far, four times it was 0-0 after 90 minutes.

At last spectators:

9500 spectators were allowed at the final venue Gdańsk.

What reads like a third division backdrop, unfolded a long-missed force after many months of fan abstinence, which you could also feel in front of the television.

The second half:

Both teams felt the strain of a long season, Villarreal played their 57th encounter this season, for United it was already the 61st. But the last rebellion was worth seeing: The second in the Premier League now played in the direction of their own Fans (!) And was equalized by Edinson Cavani (55th). Villarreal was now hanging on the ropes like a boxer, even the substitutions of ex-Bundesliga professionals Francis Coquelin and Paco Alcácer did not bring any improvement. But the defensive held, great opportunities remained in short supply. Consequence: extension.

Change grouch Solskjaer:

As a substitute, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer scored in the 1999 Champions League final for Manchester United after 92 minutes and 17 seconds.

In the Europa League final in 2021, he had not made a single change as a coach after 92 minutes and 17 seconds.

The extension:

The offensive efforts had evaporated again, it happened ... nothing.

There were three shots on goal in 120 minutes.

The goalkeepers on penalties:

De Gea has been considered the unlucky fellow for this type of decision in Spain since the 2018 World Cup round of 16 against Russia, when he was unable to save a penalty. At the club, too, his last penalty saved was years ago. In this final he received the maximum penalty: he let eleven attempts through, then forgave himself. On the other hand, Rulli was the match winner, but he is actually only number two. In the Primera División 2020/2021 he only played two games, he was only allowed to play in the European Cup.

The man of the competition:

abroad (PSG, Arsenal) coach Unai Emery was no great, in Spain (Valencia, Sevilla, Villarreal) he is a guarantee for European titles.

After the Europa League triple 2014 to 2016 with Sevilla FC, the 49-year-old has now won the fourth title in a certain European Cup - that has never been done before.

Again no title:

Solksjaer remains without

a title

despite the luxurious squad with his club and thus also continued a black English-Spanish series: The Spaniards have always won ten finals since 2006, in which teams from both nations faced each other.

Reward premier class:

Villarreal CF qualified for the Conference League in seventh place last season.

You can now postpone the premiere in this competition, because by winning the Europa League you will start in the Champions League next season.

Once Europe from bottom to top in a good 120 minutes.

Small town, great joy:

50,843 people live in Villarreal, never before has a town with so few inhabitants been able to call a European Cup winner its own.

The previous record holder was Mechelen, which in 1988, with a population of 86,000, was able to look forward to victory in the European Cup Winners' Cup.

This title is now also moving to Villarreal, to Emery, Gerard and Rulli.