UEFA Champions League Gameweek 2
Villarreal 3 - 1 FT Napoli
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Futmetrix Verdict
97
Bournemouth
vs
AC Milan
Thu, Oct 22 • 19:00 UTC
⚡ Form
37
⚖️ Balance
84
🏆 Stakes
50
⭐ Stars
100
High-stakes European clash at Vitality Stadium.
Futmetrix Verdict
85
FT
Thu, Oct 22
Sturm Graz
1-0
Marseille
⚡ Form
7
⚖️ Balance
85
🏆 Stakes
50
⭐ Stars
83
Futmetrix Verdict
100
Beşiktaş
vs
Crystal Palace
Thu, Oct 22 • 19:00 UTC
⚡ Form
41
⚖️ Balance
91
🏆 Stakes
50
⭐ Stars
100
Vlahović powers a high-stakes European test
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
26' Álvaro Santiago Mouriño González (Gerard Moreno)
HT
↓ Giovane Santana Do Nascimento ↑Noa Lang 60'
↓ Scott McTominay ↑Leonardo Spinazzola 60'
↓ Matteo Politano ↑David Neres 61'
Kevin De Bruyne 62'
63' ↓ Gerard Moreno ↑Tani Oluwaseyi
63' ↓ Georges Mikautadze ↑Alex Freeman
68' ↓ Alberto Moleiro ↑Juan Foyth
↓ Billy Gilmour ↑Stanislav Lobotka 72'
↓ Rafael Marin Zamora ↑Lorenzo Lucca 72'
83' ↓ Santi Comesaña ↑Ayoze Pérez
84' ↓ Pape Gueye ↑Sergi Cardona Bermúdez
86' Tani Oluwaseyi (Ayoze Pérez)
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Villarreal
Goalkeepers
Luíz Júnior 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Santiago Mouriño 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Pau Navarro
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Renato Veiga 
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
42%
Pass Acc
Carlos Romero 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
7
Tackles
90%
Duel Win %
Midfielders
Santi Comesaña 
MAGNET
56
Activity
56
Activity
47
Passes
9
Duels
Nathan-Dylan Saliba
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Pape Gueye
MAGNET
59
Activity
59
Activity
54
Passes
5
Duels
Alberto Moleiro 
SWEEPER
2
Cleanups
2
Cleanups
1
Interceptions
1
Blocks
Forwards
Gerard Moreno
MAGNET
42
Activity
42
Activity
37
Passes
5
Duels
Georges Mikautadze
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
BENCH
Rubén Gómez 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Alexander Freeman 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Juan Foyth
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
22
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Logan Costa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sergi Cardona
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
6
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Alassane Diatta
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
C. Macia
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
N. El Jmili
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ilias Akhomach
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tani Oluwaseyi 
CLUTCH HERO
86
Goal Time
86
Goal Time
Goal
Impact
7.6
Rating
Ayoze Pérez 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
1
Key Passes
6.8
Rating
Napoli
Goalkeepers
Vanja Milinković-Savić
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Amir Rrahmani
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
Rafa Marín
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
50%
Duel Win %
Benoît Badiashile
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Matteo Politano
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
61
Total Mins
61
Entry
Billy Gilmour
MAGNET
56
Activity
56
Activity
53
Passes
3
Duels
Scott McTominay
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Giovanni Di Lorenzo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Giovane
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
60
Total Mins
60
Entry
Kevin De Bruyne
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Forwards
Rasmus Højlund
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
BENCH
Alex Meret
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Nikita Contini
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Leonardo Spinazzola
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
30
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sam Beukema
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Stanislav Lobotka 
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
2
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Lorenzo Lucca
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
18
Total Mins
Started
Entry
David Neres
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
29
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Noa Lang
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
30
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/17/2022 | Napoli | 2 - 3 | Villarreal | Friendlies Clubs | Stadio Diego Armando Maradona |
| 02/25/2016 | Napoli | 1 - 1 | Villarreal | UEFA Europa League | Stadio San Paolo |
| 02/18/2016 | Villarreal | 1 - 0 | Napoli | UEFA Europa League | Camp El Madrigal |
| 12/07/2011 | Villarreal | 0 - 2 | Napoli | UEFA Champions League | Camp El Madrigal |
| 09/27/2011 | Napoli | 2 - 0 | Villarreal | UEFA Champions League | Stadio San Paolo |
12/17/2022
02/25/2016
02/18/2016
12/07/2011
09/27/2011
Villarreal Win
Napoli Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 2 GD: +7
P: 2 GD: +7
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +5
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -4
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -6
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -4
P: 2 GD: -5
League Standings
P: 3 GD: +9
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 2 GD: +7
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -6
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -4
P: 3 GD: -4
P: 2 GD: -5
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Villarreal
Napoli
Villarreal
Napoli
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
A Spanish Storm Drowns Napoli
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 60/100. An explosive comeback at Estadio de la Cerámica proved the Yellow Submarine still possesses lethal firepower when their backs are against the wall.
The Awakening
The Italian visitors silenced the crowd almost instantly. Amir Rrahmani nodded home an eighth-minute opener, suggesting the away side would dictate the terms of this crucial European tie. However, falling behind only poked the hornet's nest. Villarreal edged possession at 52% and relentlessly peppered the penalty area, maintaining a high Intensity rating that left the visitors scrambling for cover. The response was devastating. In a dizzying three-minute spell, Georges Mikautadze hammered in a brilliant equaliser on 23 minutes. Before the dust could even settle, Álvaro Santiago Mouriño González completed the swift turnaround, courtesy of a slick Gerard Moreno setup that carved the defence wide open.
Weathering the Siege
With the Balance completely upended, Napoli had to chase the game. They pushed their lines aggressively forward, generating 11 total shots and carving out double-digit chances inside the box, but their finishing lacked ruthless precision. The Spanish side absorbed the pressure smartly, turning the middle of the park into a bruising tactical battleground. The hosts' defence repelled waves of sweeping attacks, registering 27 crucial clearances to protect their slender advantage. The match settled into a tense, chaotic rhythm, teetering on a knife-edge as both teams unloaded a combined 28 shots in a frantic search for the next definitive breakthrough.
Masterstroke off the Bench
As legs tired and the Stakes magnified in this Champions League clash, the hosts needed a killer blow to secure the points. Enter the decisive substitutes. Brought on in the 63rd minute, Tani Oluwaseyi injected fresh terror into the fading Napoli backline. With just four minutes of normal time remaining on the clock, fellow substitute Ayoze Pérez slipped a clever pass through the inside channel. Oluwaseyi made no mistake, firing home to seal the 3-1 triumph. This late insurance goal not only killed the tie but secured vital playoff zone positioning, demonstrating how a robust bench can swing the momentum on magical European nights.
Key Questions
How did Villarreal complete the comeback from behind?
After an early Napoli goal, Mikautadze and Mouriño scored in a blistering three-minute span, entirely flipping the match's momentum before halftime.
How did substitute T. Oluwaseyi change the game?
Coming off the bench, Oluwaseyi provided a direct attacking threat, clinically finishing a late Ayoze Pérez assist to kill off the game.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Early Margins Vanish at Estadio de la Ceramica
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 65/100. With both sides staring down a pointless start, this clash represents a crucial battle to stay safely above the UEFA Champions League playoff line.
The Setup
There is absolutely no time to ease into the newly formatted UEFA Champions League. Both Villarreal and Napoli stumbled to opening-day defeats, leaving them uncomfortably close to the early elimination trapdoor. The Spanish hosts currently occupy the 21st spot, clinging to a playoff berth, while the Italian side sits down in 27th place, just below the crucial top-24 playoff cutoff. Despite a low Form rating indicating their shared struggles, our exceptional Balance score points to a razor-thin contest. With Villarreal holding a narrow 42.5% win probability, the Stakes are escalating fast. Another defeat here leaves either side with a mountain to climb to reach the top eight direct qualification spots.
Key Battle
We are watching Alberto Moleiro operating in the midfield for the hosts against the raw attacking threat of R. Højlund for the visitors. Moleiro's ability to dictate the tempo and thread passes into the final third will directly challenge Napoli's defensive organization. On the flip side, Højlund offers the kind of transitional danger that can exploit a high line, forcing the Spanish defense into uncomfortable retreats. The solid Stars rating reflects the heavy reliance both managers will place on these individuals to turn their European campaigns around.
Our Prediction
Villarreal's slight home advantage might just tip the scales in a nervy encounter. Expect Napoli to threaten on the counter, but the hosts will dominate possession and carve out just enough chances to secure a vital 2-1 victory.