Villarreal
This weekend marks the clubs first Emirates Cup tournament, and the La Liga side will want to continue the impressive Spanish impact.
- Saturday 25th: Villarreal v Wolfsburg (14.00)
- Sunday 26th: Â Villarreal v Lyon (14.00)
Team News
Villarreal will be without former Premier League hitman, Giovani dos Santos, who has recently secured a move to LA Galaxy where he will finish his career in the MLS.
Joining him on the list of departed players is Luciano Vietto, who made the switch to La Liga rivals, Athletico Madrid almost as soon as the transfer window opened this summer.
The likes of Nahuel Leiva, Mateo Masacchio and Mariano Babosa will miss out this weekend after returning from the Copa America with their Argentina squad.
Player To Watch: Bruno
It will come as no surprise that Bruno looked to be one of Villarreal’s most consistent players throughout the 2014/15 campaign.
The Spanish midfielder can be most likened to Mikel Arteta of old, and is the central point through the midfield playing mostly defensive since turning 31.
Bruno is a relentless player who keeps his head when it matters, he managed just 4 goals and 1 assist throughout all competitions during his 23 appearances, but it’s his defensive capabilities that will trouble the likes of Wolfsburg and Lyon.
What Can We Expect From Them?
Despite the fact that Arsenal won’t come up against the Spanish side, there will still be plenty to see over the weekend.
Villarreal secured automatic Europa League qualification after finishing sixth in La Liga, and they aren’t a side to sit back and get rolled over.
Their defensive capabilities is where the strength will lie during the game, due to the failure to replace either of the major signings in Dos Santos and Vietto.
Much like Lyon, this is a club who need to focus on their own game. This is the first involvement they’ve had with a serious pre-season fixture and for that reason there could still be some shaky legs out there.
The missing names could spell danger for them and it could be a case of finishing last in their first year at the event.
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