Villarreal — Spanish La Liga club that finished third in the 2025-26 season, their highest placement in 13 years.
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The Namibian
Villarreal claimed third place in La Liga with 5-1 win over Atletico Madrid
“Villarreal claimed third place in La Liga with an emphatic 5-1 win over Atletico Madrid, who finished fourth, in the final match of the Spanish season.”
Villarreal crush Atletico to claim third in La LigaThe Namibian
Villarreal lost to Barcelona 1-4 on Saturday
“Barcelona's teenage star Lamine Yamal scored the first hat-trick of his career in a 4-1 win over Villarreal on Saturday that took the Catalan giants four points clear at the top of La Liga.”
First Yamal hat trick helps Liga leaders Barcelona beat VillarrealThe Namibian
Villarreal lost 2-0 to Real Madrid and are now fourth
“La Liga's top scorer Mbappe reached 21 goals for the season in the competition to help Madrid see off a spirited Villarreal side, who are now fourth.”
Mbappe double at Villarreal takes Real Madrid top of La LigaThe Namibian
Marcelino Garcia Toral's Villarreal are third, seven points behind Madrid
“Marcelino Garcia Toral's Villarreal are third, seven points behind Madrid and eight off champions Barca, and a defeat would virtually write off any chance of a first ever title.”
Vinicius revival can help Arbeloa's Real Madrid lift offVillarreal claimed third place in La Liga with an emphatic 5-1 victory over fourth-placed Atletico Madrid in the final match of the Spanish season, marking the club's highest La Liga placement in 13 years. It was manager Marcelino Garcia Toral's last match in charge and captain Dani Parejo's final game for the club.
25 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Villarreal claimed third place in La Liga with an emphatic 5-1 victory over fourth-placed Atletico Madrid in the final match of the Spanish season, marking the club's highest La Liga placement in 13 years. It was manager Marcelino Garcia Toral's last match in charge and captain Dani Parejo's final game for the club.
25 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Real Madrid ended their La Liga season with a 4-2 win over Athletic Bilbao. Mallorca and Girona were relegated from the Spanish top flight despite Mallorca's 3-0 victory over already-relegated Real Oviedo.
24 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Aston Villa defeated Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final, ending a 30-year trophy drought and securing their first major European prize in 44 years. The victory in Istanbul featured goals from Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendia, and Morgan Rodgers under manager Unai Emery.
20 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, despite his three Europa League wins with Sevilla and one with Villarreal, insists he is not the "king" of the competition ahead of Wednesday's final against Freiburg in Istanbul. Emery has revived Villa's fortunes since 2022, and the club seeks its first major trophy in 30 years.
19 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Vinicius Junior scored as Real Madrid won 1-0 at Sevilla on Sunday, but Sevilla secured safety from relegation through other results. Mallorca, 19th after losing 2-0 to Levante, and Girona, 18th after a 1-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid, are in danger of relegation.
17 May 2026 · The Namibian →
With Barcelona already crowned champions, La Liga's penultimate round focuses on other matters, including Antoine Griezmann's farewell at Atlético Madrid and a tight relegation battle involving multiple teams between 10th and 19th place, with only Real Oviedo guaranteed to go down.
15 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Barcelona's bid to match La Liga's all-time record of 100 points ended with a 1-0 defeat to Alaves on Wednesday. Hansi Flick's newly-crowned Spanish champions needed to win their remaining three matches to reach that figure but fell to Ibrahim Diabate's goal in first-half stoppage time.
14 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, both former European champions from the late 1970s and early 1980s, face off in the Europa League semi-final. Villa are on course for a Premier League return to Europe's top competition, while Forest remain at relegation risk but are unbeaten in eight games under manager Vitor Pereira.
29 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Lamine Yamal scored a hat-trick in Barcelona's 4-1 win over Villarreal, becoming the youngest player to achieve the feat in La Liga this century at 18 years old. The victory extended Barcelona's lead at the top of the league to four points above Real Madrid.
1 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick faces mounting pressure following two consecutive defeats to Girona and Atletico Madrid, as the Catalan club falls behind Real Madrid in La Liga. Flick acknowledged the team is not in good form due to injuries and fatigue, but resisted calls to adjust his ultra-attacking tactics ahead of Sunday's match against Levante.
20 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa and striker Kylian Mbappe both emphasize the need for consistency as the team prepares to face Valencia in La Liga, with Arbeloa stressing that hard work rather than magic is required to turn around recent inconsistent performances.
7 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Midfielder Jamal Musiala has returned from a six-month leg injury for Bayern Munich, described by the club CEO as an "internal winter signing". The 22-year-old has made two substitute appearances and started in Bayern's midweek 2-1 Champions League win over PSV Eindhoven, where he scored.
31 January 2026 · The Namibian →
American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo has revived Real Sociedad from near-relegation with five games unbeaten, including wins over Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, ahead of Sunday's Basque derby against Athletic Bilbao, who are languishing in 13th place without a win in their last five La Liga games.
31 January 2026 · The Namibian →
Real Madrid aim to seal direct passage to the Champions League last 16 against Benfica on Wednesday, where they face former coach Jose Mourinho, who coached Madrid between 2010 and 2013. Madrid's new coach Alvaro Arbeloa, a former Mourinho disciple and ex-Madrid defender, will take on his former mentor in what could be a chance for Mourinho to reassert dominance against a club that has not forgotten him.
27 January 2026 · The Namibian →
Fifteen teams have already qualified for the Champions League knockout rounds, with seventeen more competing for remaining places in the final round of the league phase. Arsenal and Bayern Munich are assured of top-eight finishes, while PSG, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Tottenham are among the clubs battling to secure direct passage to the last 16 this week.
27 January 2026 · The Namibian →
Kylian Mbappe scored a brace as Real Madrid defeated Villarreal 2-0 on Saturday, moving the club two points clear atop La Liga. The win marked Madrid's third consecutive victory under new coach Alvaro Arbeloa.
25 January 2026 · The Namibian →
Vinicius Junior's resurgent form, highlighted by a dominant display in Real Madrid's 6-1 Champions League win over Monaco, has lifted the team ahead of a crucial La Liga clash with Villarreal where victory could move them top of the table. Coach Alvaro Arbeloa has backed the Brazilian winger publicly, and Vinicius has credited the fans' support for his return to form after a lengthy scoring drought.
23 January 2026 · The Namibian →
Senegal defeated host Morocco 1-0 in the Africa Cup of Nations final, with Pape Gueye scoring in extra time after Senegal protested and walked off the pitch following a controversial late penalty award that their goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved. The match was marred by ugly scenes in the crowd when the penalty was given, and Senegal supporters threw objects and attempted to get onto the field.
19 January 2026 · The Namibian →