Villarreal have clinched European football next season and will head into the round 37 match with Deportivo La Coruna with nothing to play for.
It comes a time that after a gruelling season many clubs look at their surroundings, assess their goals and realise they would rather be on holiday than playing in the league.
This realisation takes away any momentum, limits any care that players have, and is often more of a time to reflect on what has gone by than to focus on the task at hand.
For Villarreal they have achieved everything they set out for, so the impending visit of Deportivo offers little for the fans, other than to see the under-21s trotting out to give their best impression of first team players.
With that in mind it may be to the benefit of the Yellow Submarine faithful to look back at the season that was, instead of watching an unmotivated version of their side look at five matches that saw them at their best.
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Jornada 6 – Villarreal 1 Atletico Madrid 0
As arguably the best display during the course of the season in how tough Villarreal would be to break down, the Yellow Submarine hosted Diego Simeone’s men and left the match with the three points sitting on top of the table.
A singular goal from a striker on-loan from their opponents in the form of Leo Baptistao was enough to separate the two sides.
It was a sign of things to come from the Valencian side as they kept their more favoured opponents to just two clear sights on goal and when they did give away chances, the burgeoning talent of Alphonse Areola was on display.
Jornada 10 – Villarreal 2 Sevilla 1
In what would turn out to be a vitally important three points against a direct rival Villarreal, defeated Sevilla in the 10th match of the season.
The side’s best players came up with the goals, as then newly capped Spanish International Mario scored one of the few goals from a set piece, while top hitman Cedric Bakambu benefitted from a Denis Suarez assist for an easy tap-in.
Although the side did give up a goal to aerial expert Fernando Llorente, they survived some late pressure from the Andalusian’s to take the spoils.
Jornada 15 – Villarreal 1 Real Madrid 0
Despite a victory over Atleti and a good hours showing against Barcelona earlier in the season, Villarreal’s midseason match against Los Blancos was one in which all pundits doubted them.
Proving the odds incorrect once again, El Submarino Amarillo scored to silence their much bigger opponents.
A solitary goal to Roberto Soldado, assisted by Bakambu, was enough to see off Madrid in a scenario Villarreal fans would see in reverse many times over the course of the season.
Again it was resolute defence and sharp counter-attacking that would take Marcelino’s men move closer to their goal. It was a sign that when they do make their Champions League appearance next season, they will be there to compete rather than just make up the numbers.
Jornada 30 – Villarreal 2 Barcelona 2
The juggernaut that is Barcelona rolled through El Madrigal in a match that was the beginning of a title battle, as Luis Enrique’s side began to drop points leading to the fight they have on their hands now.
La Blaugrana took a 2-0 lead into halftime thanks to goals from Ivan Rakitic and Neymar, but a combination of poor tactical substitutions and hard pressing from their opponents saw their lead extinguished just 20 minutes into the second-half.
No match this season showed Villarreal’s fighting spirit more than this one and it was on the back of team displays that has taken Marcelino’s side into the Champions League.
Jornada 36 – Valencia 0 Villarreal 2
The second of the season’s derbi de la comunitats saw Villarreal do the double over their closest neighbours.
The little brothers no more, as goals from fringe players Samu Garcia and Adrian Lopez would put the cherry on top of their season.
Securing their 2015-16 ambitions at the home of their nearest rivals would have been a sweet moment for the Yellow Submarine, as a campaign of so many highs hit its peak at the Mestalla.
Marcelino needs to be commended on the job he has done with this side over the course of three seasons. Bringing them from mid-table in the second division into the Champions League is the stuff of legend.
For now Villarreal have two matches left in the league to savour what has been a fine season and for fans, it is time to re-live this extraordinary journey with an eye to an even bigger 2016-17.
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