The Spanish side Villarreal will be Atalanta’s opponents on the 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League matchday 1 of Group F on Tuesday 14 September at 21.00 CEST at the Estadio de La Cerámica in Vila-real.

Villareal Club de Fútbol Club are a football club based in Vila-real, in the Spanish province of Castellón, that have almost a century-long lifespan. In fact, it was founded in 1923. This year it is their 22nd participation in the Spanish Top League, La Liga, in which they made their debut in the 1998-1999 season. Since then, they have had big achievements both at the national and international level, having participated in the European tournaments 14 times and having shown some extraordinary results such as winning the UEFA Europe League last season, after defeating Manchester United in the final on penalties. They had other prestigious achievements such as the UEFA Champions League semifinal (2005-2006) and quarter-final (2008-2009), the UEFA Europe League semifinals (2003-2004 known as UEFA Cup, 2010-2011 and 2015-2016) and the second place in the Liga (2007-2008). Their palmares also include two UEFA Intertoto Cups.

They finished seventh in the Spanish league last season but thanks to the victory in the UEFA Europe League they booked a place in the UEFA Champions League pot 1. Moreover, Villarreal have had the Spanish coach Unai Emery for two seasons, who holds the record for the most Europe League victories, having won it four times in his career, three of which were straight with Siviglia.

In the current season, after three matchdays, Villarreal have gained 3 points which are the result of three draws: 0-0 against Granada at home, 0-0 at Espanyol and, finally, 2-2 at Atletico Madrid in the last round before the international break.