Five-star Villarreal thrash Atletico Madrid in final match of LaLiga season

The 2025/26 season came to an end with a battle between two sides looking to take the final podium place in the division. Both teams had secured UEFA Champions League qualification long ago, and with nine of the 10 final-day fixtures taking place a day earlier, this felt a bit like the aftermath of the Lord Mayor’s Show.

However, a thoroughly entertaining first half certainly enthralled the majority of the crowd packed inside the Estadio de la Cerámica.

Dani Parejo broke the deadlock from the penalty spot to mark his final Villarreal appearance with a goal, after Juan Musso was harshly judged to have brought down Nicolas Pepe in the box.

This was despite replays showing minimal contact between the Ivorian and the Atletico shot-stopper.

Marcelino’s side then doubled their advantage four minutes later when Ayoze Perez rifled home a left-footed strike, before Georges Mikautadze made it three with a fine close-range finish.

Marc Pubill reduced the deficit back to two when he capitalised on Arnau Tenas failing to collect Antoine Griezmann’s corner, but El Submarino Amarillo would have the final say in an action-packed 45 minutes, as Pape Gueye dispatched a superb strike after some brilliant work by Pepe.

Villarreal continued where they left off after the restart, adding a fifth nine minutes into the second half when Perez netted his second of the night by latching onto Pepe’s pass with a wonderful swerving finish past Musso.

There was a moving moment with just under 25 minutes of normal time remaining, as the Cerámica crowd gave a rapturous applause for departing duo Parejo and Alfonso Pedraza, who were replaced by Alassane Diatta and Sergi Cardona.

The hosts saw out the remainder of the match with ease to secure a top-three finish for the first time since 2007/08, rounding off a very impressive domestic campaign.

Meanwhile, Diego Simeone will reflect on an underwhelming season by Atletico’s standards after finishing outside the top three for the second time in three seasons, and 25 points adrift of champions Barcelona.