Villarreal claimed third place in La Liga with an emphatic 5-1 win over fourth-placed Atletico Madrid in the final match of the Spanish season.
It was the last time Marcelino Garcia Toral was in charge of the Yellow Sub, and he led them to a comfortable win against an uninterested Atletico team.
Finishing third is Villarreal’s highest finish in La Liga in thirteen years.
Villarreal captain Dani Parejo opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 29th minute in what was also his last match for the club.
It set up a series of goals before halftime, after which Ayoze Perez scored three minutes later.
Georges Mikautadze tucked away the third after Perez found him after holding the ball aloft on a break, with Clement Lenglet ahead and unable to stop the Georgian striker.
Marc Pubill pulled one back with a header from Antoine Griezmann’s corner in the French striker’s final Atletico appearance before moving to MLS side Orlando City.
It proved to be a brief respite for Atletico as Pape Gueye blasted into the top corner from outside the penalty area to score Villarreal’s fourth goal before half-time.
Perez scored for Villarreal early in the second half as the Yellow Submarine kept the goals down.
Parejo, who joined the club in 2020, bid an emotional farewell to the home fans as he was substituted.
“It has been six wonderful years of my life,” Parejo said Movistar. “I am proud, happy with my work, I have given everything to this club.”
It was Atlético coach Diego Simeone’s 800th match in charge since taking over in 2011, but not one he will remember fondly.
Atletico, which lost in the Copa del Rey final and the semi-finals of the Champions League, ends the season empty-handed.
«This can’t happen to us. We have to fix it next season. We can’t let in so many goals,» said Atletico captain Koke.
“We still have a bitter taste in our mouths… (cup disappointments) and a disaster in La Liga, we have to move up.”
Published on May 25, 2026
