Football Season Guide

Villarreal approach the 2017/18 campaign in far better shape than they were one year ago when coach Marcelino walked out on the eve of the 2016/17 season. That shock exit saw Fran Escriba take over with little time to implement his ideas before the team kicked off their league campaign but they still managed to put together a very respectable season and Villarreal finished in 5th, just one spot below their previous year's placing. This time around, with Escriba renewed and with his players well aware of how his defensive-minded 4-4-2 system works along with with far fewer injuries than they had at the beginning of last term, Villarreal expect to hit the ground running. They may not have added many players but the ones they have brought in come with an excellent reputation and they've broken the £10m barrier to sign striker Enes Unal, central midfielder Pablo Fornals and centre-back Ruben Semedo - three players who should immediately improve the spine of this team. They have also been boosted by the arrival of Carlos Bacca on loan from AC Milan. The Colombian has scored goals wherever he has gone. When it comes to departures, the loss of Mateo Musacchio to Milan is the only truly significant one, as he was the only 2016/17 regular starter to leave the club during this current window. Furthermore, the arrival of Semedo should make his departure far easier to overcome. Villarreal, then, are in a much better shape now than they were ahead of last season and there is a lot of excitement surrounding the club, even though pre-season results have been mixed and included a loss to their own B team. Escriba is an intelligent coach and one who sets his sides up to keep the opposition out, as evidenced by the fact that the Yellow Submarines conceded the second fewest goals in La Liga last season, only behind Atletico Madrid. As for scoring goals, they've done well to keep Cedric Bakambu, while they also have goals from midfield in the form of left winger Roberto Soriano, right winger Samu Castillejo and ever-improving central midfielder Manu Trigueros.