Although the victory against Real Betis in the last league match has had its healing effect and has relieved the pressure that the team was under after being defeated in the first two rounds, Villarreal still cannot find the key. Fran Escribá's men try to dominate the game and handle the ball with the same ease as in previous years, but the circulation is much slower and, above all, much less profound.

Furthermore, their defensive machinery also does not seem entirely well greased. Neither the Argentine goalkeeper Mariano Barbosa can provide the same feeling of solidity as the now injured Andrés Fernández and Serigo Asenjo, nor does the duo formed by Daniele Bonera and Rúben Semedo transmit the same sense of tranquility as Víctor Ruiz and Mateo Musacchio did. Not to mention the absence of Bruno Soriano, a player capable of making sense of the game even in the most absolute disorder.

Fortunately for the Yellow Submarine, their first opponent in the Europa League, Astana, was a team as spirited as it was fragile, an opponent that allowed them to play at half speed and still achieve something positive. It is enough to analyze the 1-0 to understand it (minute 16). A ball played deep by Jaume Costa without apparent danger, a slow defense unaware of Nicola Sansone's run, and a rather weak and centered shot from the Italian that his goalkeeper, Nenad Eric, is unable to clear despite the ball passing just inches from his legs.

From that moment until half-time, the Castellonenses barely showed any signs of life. Some sporadic appearance of Samu Castillejo and little else. In fact, if any team deserved to score during this stretch, it was undoubtedly the Kazakhs, but all their approaches ended up practically in nothing due to the naivety shown by Patrick Twumasi and Roman Murtazaev.

The substitutions prove decisive

The Spanish team tried to come out with more strength after the break, but their good intentions hardly translated into chances. Manu Trigueros was desperately calling for more intensity, but his teammates either failed to associate in attack or defend their area with ease. With this panorama, it was not strange for Astana to equalize in the 67th minute. And for them to do it in a poorly defended corner by the Yellow Submarine, even less so...

Just like the match against Betis last weekend, Villarreal had to feel the noose tightening around their neck to react definitively. The changes made by Escribá contributed decisively to this, who hit the mark by sending Cedric Bakambu onto the field, the author of the 2-1 goal after a powerful and talented play; and Denis Cheryshev, who completed the scoring by pushing Rodri's pass into the net.

Although the victory will help bury some ghosts, it is clear that the Yellow Submarine still has a long way to go. Their survival in Europe depends on regaining the reliability they had in the past and attracting an easily whistling fan base that, for the moment, does not see it clearly. The task should not be complicated for such a long and talented squad, but time is running out.

André Silva shines in AC Milan's European debut

As for the rest of the matches in this first round, we highlight the victory of AC Milan in their visit to Austria Vienna. The Rossoneri made their European debut after suffering a painful defeat against Lazio in the last Serie A match and they were able to adequately make up for it in a game that was practically resolved in the first 20 minutes thanks to the goals from Hakan Çalhanoğlu and André Silva twice.

Although the Central Europeans managed to shorten the distance at the beginning of the second half through Alexandar Borkovic (47th minute), the Portuguese Silva found the back of the net again 9 minutes later to complete his best performance since wearing the Milan shirt and give color to a scoreline that Suso finally sealed (1-5).

Scores of the 1st round of the group stage:

Apollon 1-1 Olympique de Lyon

Atalanta 3-0 Everton

Austria Vienna 1-5 AC Milan

Basaksehir 0-0 Ludogorets

Copenhagen 0-0 Lokomotiv Moscow

Dynamo Kiev 3-1 Skenderbeu

Hoffenheim 1-2 SC Braga

Rijeka 1-2 AEK

Slavia Prague 1-0 M. Tel Aviv

Villarreal 3-1 Astana

Young Boys 1-1 Partizan

Zlin 0-0 Sheriff