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October 5, 2024
Credit to La Liga Image Gallery
Villarreal CF have started the new season with an impressive display of form, firmly establishing themselves as serious contenders in LALIGA EA SPORTS. Their performances over the first eight matchdays have been marked by consistency and attacking flair, with their only setback coming against the league leaders, FC Barcelona. Despite that defeat, *El Submarino Amarillo* has accumulated 17 points so far, which places them comfortably in third position in the league standings. Their goal-scoring abilities have been particularly noteworthy, as Villarreal have found the back of the net 17 times—matching Real Madrid’s total and ranking just below Barcelona’s tally. Strong results and an effective offensive strategy have been key to their promising start, and behind these successes lies the outstanding effort of key players in Marcelino’s squad.
Leading Villarreal’s charge this season are two standout Spanish internationals: Álex Baena and Ayoze Pérez. Both players have hit the ground running and have been pivotal to the team’s early success. Ayoze Pérez, the dynamic forward from the Canary Islands, has already registered an impressive six goals in the campaign. This feat places him as the second-highest goal-scorer in LALIGA EA SPORTS, trailing only behind the prolific Robert Lewandowski. Ayoze’s goal-scoring instincts and sharp finishing have brought a new dimension to Villarreal’s attack, allowing them to capitalize on crucial opportunities. On the creative side, Álex Baena has been a revelation, showcasing his playmaking abilities. With 13 assists so far in 2024, Baena currently leads the assist charts across Europe’s top five leagues, surpassing established stars such as Kevin De Bruyne. This combination of Baena’s creativity and Ayoze’s clinical finishing has provided Villarreal with a powerful one-two punch in their attacking arsenal, contributing significantly to their strong start this season.
This season alone, Baena has already registered five assists, tying with Lamine Yamal for the most assists in the competition. In a recent 2-1 victory over RCD Espanyol, both Baena and Ayoze were instrumental—Baena set up Ayoze for two goals, turning the game in Villarreal’s favor and securing three crucial points. In their following game against UD Las Palmas, Baena continued his stellar form, scoring and providing an assist, earning himself the MVP honor.
Both Baena and Ayoze Pérez entered this season on a high after a remarkable summer. They played key roles in Spain’s triumphant Euro 2024 campaign, lifting the trophy with the national team. For Baena, the celebrations continued as he also claimed an Olympic gold medal at Paris 2024, further establishing his winning pedigree. On the other hand, Ayoze joined Villarreal from Real Betis over the summer transfer window and has quickly settled into his new surroundings, aiming to guide his team back into European competitions, including a possible Champions League berth.
Ayoze’s impact has been immediate. Despite joining just two days before the season opener, he has averaged an impressive 0.86 goals per game, almost one per appearance. Alongside Lewandowski, he has been one of the most decisive players in LALIGA EA SPORTS, contributing crucial goals that have directly earned Villarreal vital points. His performances have not gone unnoticed by Spain’s head coach, Luis de la Fuente, who included him in the squad for their recent international break, where Ayoze started against Serbia.
With both players in such fine form, their goal is to continue making an impact at both club and international levels. As Villarreal push for a return to Europe, Álex Baena and Ayoze Pérez will be crucial to their ambitions, and both hope to earn further call-ups for Spain in the upcoming international window.
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