Unai Emery and Villarreal’s siege mentality could prove key against Liverpool

A look at Villarreal’s position in La Liga gives the impression that they are probably having an underwhelming campaign this season. Sitting in seventh position and nine points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, the Yellow Submarine seem destined to finish outside the top-four places.

However, Unai Emery’s side have been far from disappointing. Rather, they’ve built on last season’s Europa League triumph and are having one of their most progressive campaigns in recent years.

Villarreal will travel to Anfield to face Liverpool in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday evening. At the start of the season, no one expected them to reach this stage but here they are after chalking up some impressive results in the competition.

Villarreal up against Europe’s most in-form team

Emery’s side are clearly the dark horses in this season’s Champions League, as they are the least fancied side among the semi-finalists.

However, they have proven in the past that they enjoy being the underdog. Having already eliminated Juventus and Bayern Munich in the Round of 16 and quarter-finals, respectively, Villarreal’s mission is to now upset Liverpool.

In truth, the Reds are better than both Juventus and Bayern and are currently the most in-form team in Europe with just one defeat since the start of 2022.

This means Villarreal will be up against it at Anfield. It’ll certainly be their most difficult test in the Champions League this season and it remains to be seen how they’ll fare against Liverpool’s ruthless attack.

Villarreal’s siege mentality could come in handy

Under Emery, Villarreal have built a siege mentality and that is how they’ve managed to get the better of the likes of Juventus and Bayern Munich.

It was this same siege mentality that enabled them to beat Manchester United in the final of the Europa League last season and their mental fortitude against superior opposition will prove key against Liverpool.

“This is the best Liverpool I’ve seen. I was there when that magnificent Liverpool won the Champions League and this year watching them, analysing them, it is better,” Emery said, as quoted by the Guardian.

“Liverpool are in a great moment, with a project that has been growing with Klopp growing for years. I see an updated and improved version. They have found excellence in certain players.

“We have to analyse, prepare, produce the best version of ourselves, let the wave carry us. We have to try to get the perfect game: we know this is a semi-final and that we’re playing the biggest favourite, but we believe in ourselves and we want to have our place on the pitch.”

They have lost the element of surprise after upsetting Bayern and Juventus in the previous rounds, but they won’t change their style against Liverpool.

Unlike other teams, the Yellow Submarine have no problem ceding possession to the Reds and will be patient enough to bide their time. And should Liverpool slack, you can be sure that the Spanish side will punish them. For Emery’s side thrives on being the underdog.