Villarreal wins in Istanbul and shows it's ready to compete

Villarreal defeated the Turkish champions in a friendly match played in Istanbul that served as the perfect test before the official competition kicks off in just seven days. According to MARCA, the Yellow Submarine demonstrated clear superiority in a high-intensity encounter from the opening minute.

The match started frenetically. Ayoze opened the scoring from the penalty spot after a handball by Lemina, but Osimhen equalized almost immediately with a header. The Nigerian striker had a controversial performance, even attempting to assault Mouriño. Villarreal controlled the game and, before the break, Mikautadze added the second after a brilliant move by Foyth and a generous pass from Pépé.

In the second half, the Yellows were overwhelming. Pépé and Romero had two clear one-on-one chances, and Moleiro came close from distance, but the team accumulated several clear-cut opportunities without converting them. The opposition showed pride during the final substitutions to level the game, but without troubling a Villarreal that demonstrated it's already in perfect condition for what's coming.