Liverpool have now beaten Spanish opposition six times in a row. Villarreal became the latest side to fall on Tuesday night at Anfield.
The Reds trailed 2-0 inside 30 minutes. Yet they roared back to win a wild game 4-3. Teenager Rio Ngumoha stole the show with two assists. The result keeps Liverpool (2.14) perfect after three Champions League games.
A Spanish Run Built on Big Nights
This streak has not come against easy opponents. It includes two wins over Real Madrid and two over Atlético Madrid (1.27). Girona also lost to the Reds during the 2024-25 league phase. Liverpool then opened this campaign by beating Atlético again at Anfield.
Villarreal now joins that list, and the turnaround is striking. Spanish clubs used to give Liverpool real problems in Europe. By April 2022, the Reds had won just four of their last 16 such games. They lost nine of those matches.
That record looks very different today. Anfield has played a big part in the change. Real Madrid (1.35) and Atlético have both left Merseyside beaten in recent seasons. On Tuesday, though, it took a huge effort to keep the run alive.
A Nightmare Start at Anfield
Villarreal struck after just four minutes. Virgil van Dijk misjudged a header, and Georges Mikautadze pounced. Liverpool had not trailed this early in a major European home tie for 25 years.
Things soon got worse for the home side. In the 28th minute, Villarreal cut through Liverpool with a slick passing move. Sergi Cardona raced clear and finished calmly. The visitors fully deserved their 2-0 lead.
The goal also set an unwanted record. Liverpool had not been 2-0 down this early in Europe since April 2016. That night, Borussia Dortmund (1.47) led at Anfield after only nine minutes. Liverpool came back to win 4-3. Few fans could have predicted history would repeat itself.
Mac Allister Leads the Fightback
Liverpool needed a response, and Alexis Mac Allister provided it. Kostas Tsimikas whipped in a corner, and the Argentine rose to head home. Suddenly, the crowd came alive.
Ngumoha then created the equaliser before half-time. His clever work set up Ronald Araujo, who ghosted in at the far post. Cardona had switched off, and Araujo made him pay. It was 2-2 at the break.
Liverpool hardly deserved to be level at that stage. But they came out after half-time with fresh energy. Mac Allister later added his second goal after more brilliant work from Ngumoha. Remarkably, all eight of his Champions League goals have come at Anfield.
Rio Ngumoha Steals the Show
Ngumoha is just 18 years and 52 days old. He played like a seasoned star. The winger completed seven of his eight dribbles and tormented the Villarreal defence all night.
His two assists put him in rare company. He is now the third-youngest player to provide multiple assists in a Champions League game. Only Warren Zaïre-Emery and Theo Walcott did it at a younger age.
The teenager was clearly delighted after the final whistle. “It’s up there with one of the best I’ve played,” he told Amazon Prime. “I enjoyed myself out there.”
Fans will hope this is just the start. Ngumoha showed the confidence to take on defenders every time he got the ball. That kind of fearless play can win big games.
Wirtz Finally Off the Mark
Florian Wirtz came off the bench and lifted the tempo. The German playmaker had not scored for Liverpool this season. That changed in the 68th minute.
He found space and fired a left-footed shot past Peter Gulacsi. His relief was clear to everyone inside Anfield. At 4-2, Liverpool looked comfortable.
However, Villarreal refused to give up. Tani Oluwaseyi set up a late goal to make it 4-3. The final minutes became tense as the visitors pushed for an equaliser. Liverpool held on, but only just.
Defensive Worries Remain for Iraola
Andoni Iraola will be pleased with the result but not the defending. Liverpool have conceded three goals in each of their last two Champions League games. They beat LASK Linz 6-3 before this 4-3 win.
Still, the numbers favour Liverpool overall. They had 22 shots and produced 2.37 expected goals (xG). Villarreal managed 14 attempts and 1.58 xG. The Reds now sit on nine points from three games.
Winning while playing badly is a useful habit. But tougher tests will expose these defensive gaps. Iraola must find a fix before the knockout rounds arrive.
Villarreal’s English Problem Continues
This defeat extended a poor run for the Yellow Submarine. Villarreal have never beaten an English club in the Champions League proper. They have played 17 such games, drawing six and losing 11. They have scored only eight goals and conceded 26 in those matches.
Their record across all European competitions is a little better. In 26 games against English sides, they have won five, drawn nine and lost 12. Their last win came against Arsenal in the 2020-21 Europa League semi-finals. They also beat Liverpool in the 2015-16 Europa League semi-finals.
The club has reached the Champions League semi-finals twice. In 2005-06, Arsenal knocked them out. In 2021-22, Liverpool ended their run. Before beating Napoli (1.95) this season, Villarreal had gone 12 Champions League games without a win. On this showing, they can compete. They just cannot finish the job against English teams.
