Villarreal’s faint hopes of salvaging a Champions League play-off spot were all but extinguished in the most painful way possible on Tuesday night, as a 90th-minute sucker punch from Andreas Cornelius handed FC Copenhagen a 3-2 victory at Estadio de la Cerámica.
The result leaves the Yellow Submarine with just one point from six Champions League matches in the 2025/26 campaign, effectively ending their European journey and piling pressure on manager Marcelino García Toral.
A Night of Hope, Then Heartbreak
From the opening whistle, Villarreal looked like a team desperate to prove they still belonged at this level. But just
two minutes in, disaster struck. Copenhagen carved open the Villarreal defense with a simple move down the left, and Mohamed Elyounoussi finished clinically inside the six-yard box, exposing a brittle backline that would haunt the hosts all night.
Despite that early setback, Villarreal responded with waves of attack. Nicolas Pepe and Tajon Buchanan provided moments of individual quality, with Pepe’s cutback begging to be finished by Santi Comesana, who instead miscontrolled under pressure. Later, Pepe’s powerful header from a Buchanan cross was brilliantly saved by Dominik Kotarski, keeping Copenhagen’s lead intact at the break.
Late Surge, Brief Hope
After the break, Marcelino threw on Ayoze Pérez, Tani Oluwaseyi, and Ilias Akhomach in a desperate attempt to spark a comeback. The changes paid off almost immediately.
Comesana finally found the net in the second half, bundling in Akhomach’s cross to level the score. Then, Oluwaseyi — the Canadian target man — latched onto a clever pass from Alberto Moleiro and finished coolly with the outside of his foot from just inside the box, sending La Cerámica into raptures.
For a few glorious minutes, it felt like Villarreal might pull off a miracle. The stadium buzzed, the players pushed forward, and the play-off dream flickered back to life.
Copenhagen’s Cruel Final Blow
But with just
two minutes remaining, the dream was shattered. A deflected shot fell kindly into the path of Andreas Cornelius, who calmly slotted past goalkeeper Junior to restore Copenhagen’s lead.
The goal sparked wild celebrations among the visiting fans and stunned silence at La Cerámica. Despite a frantic final push, Villarreal couldn’t find an equalizer, and the final whistle confirmed a
2-3 defeat that all but ends their Champions League campaign.
Marcelino’s Reality Check
Before the match, Marcelino had admitted that Villarreal were “playing catch-up” after their shock defeat to Cypriot side Pafos earlier in the group stage. That loss, he said, was the “blunder” that put them in this precarious position.
Now, with only one point from six games and a goal difference in the red, Villarreal’s Champions League fate is all but sealed. The focus will inevitably shift to La Liga, where the club must regroup and avoid a repeat of last season’s late-season struggles.
What This Means for Villarreal
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Champions League elimination is now almost certain- Marcelino’s tactics and squad selection will face intense scrutiny
- The club’s expensive summer signings (Pepe, Moleiro, Mikautadze, Buchanan) have yet to deliver consistent European performances
- Attention turns to La Liga survival and potential January transfer market moves
Villarreal’s Champions League campaign was supposed to be a statement of intent. Instead, it’s turning into a cautionary tale of missed chances, defensive fragility, and a manager fighting to keep his job.
As the dust settles on another painful European night, one question looms large in La Cerámica:
Can Marcelino turn this ship around before it’s too late?
Sources
1. Villarreal vs Copenhagen battles to disappointing 0-0 draw ... - Red94
2. Villarreal's European hopes suffers Copenhagen sucker punch
3. Villarreal News, Villarreal Transfer News & Rumours - NewsNow
4. Marcelino rues Pafos slip-up: "That match is why we're playing catch ...
5. Villarreal vs Copenhagen | UEFA Champions League 2025/26
