History [ edit ]

2005–06 UEFA Champions League [ edit ]

The 2005–06 season brought the club considerable European success and recognition, 5️⃣ due to their consistent performances in the Champions League. In the qualifying round stage, Villarreal controversially defeated English side Everton 5️⃣ with a 4–2 aggregate score with two 2–1 victories. In the group stage, Villarreal were to be in the same 5️⃣ group as Portuguese champions Benfica, French club Lille, and England's Manchester United. Remaining undefeated throughout the group stage, Villarreal were 5️⃣ twice victorious (1–0 each against Benfica away and Lille at home) and earned four draws, including two scoreless draws with 5️⃣ Manchester United. They topped their group and progressed to the knock-out stages along with Benfica. The club progressed to the 5️⃣ quarter-finals in their Champions League debut by defeating the Scottish club Rangers 3–3 on the away goals rule (a 2–2 5️⃣ draw in Glasgow and a 1–1 draw at home gave the Spanish side one more away goal than their opponents).

El 5️⃣ Submarino Amarillo drew Italian giants Inter Milan in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The first leg was played at 5️⃣ the San Siro on 29 March 2006, where Villarreal's Diego Forlán scored inside the first minute of the match, but 5️⃣ Villarreal lost 2–1 as Inter took a lead to the return leg at El Madrigal on 4 April. Villarreal, however, 5️⃣ continued their unbeaten home record in the Champions League after winning the second leg 1–0 to qualify for the semi-finals 5️⃣ on the away goals rule (the tie ended 2–2 on aggregate, but because of Forlán's goal in Milan, Villarreal advanced). 5️⃣ During that game, left-back Rodolfo Arruabarrena turned a back header from Juan Román Riquelme free kick past Inter goalkeeper Francesco 5️⃣ Toldo to score the decisive goal of the tie. In the semi-finals, Villarreal narrowly lost out to Arsenal on a 5️⃣ 1–0 aggregate scoreline following Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann's save of Riquelme's last-minute penalty.

2008–09 Champions League [ edit ]