The Champions League draw cast Juventus against Villarreal for the first time in club history. The Bianconeri travel to the town located in the province of Castellón for the first leg of the Round of 16 of the Champions League. With a population of just over 50 thousand inhabitants, it is best known for the exploits of its football team, now coached by Unai Emery.
Villarreal’s founder and patron was King James 1st of Aragon, hence the name ‘Royal Village’. The main sights of the town include the Church of Sant Jaume (Saint James), built between 1752 and 1779. Worth a visit also is the Sanctuary of Sant Pasqual Baylòn. Dating back to the 16th Century, it is a convent where Pascual Baylón lived, died and was buried. The Royal Chapel houses the remains of the saint and is considered to be one of the first Valencian Baroque monuments.
The centre of Villarreal is instead Plaza de la Vila. The beautiful arcaded town square has a mediaeval flavour and was declared a Spanish Cultural Place of Interest in 1974. Less than ten minutes away on foot is the Casa de Polo museum, with its rooms dedicated to artists of international fame born in the town.
ESTADIO DE LA CERÁMICA
The stadium has been home to the club since 1923. Two years later it took the name El Madrigal, until 2017, when the name was changed to Estadio de la Cerámica. The stadium, located five kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea, can seat up to 23,500 spectators, almost half the population of the town. It is also referred to as El Feudo Amarillo by local fans.
In 2005, when the club first qualified for the Champions League, it underwent a major modernisation to host matches for UEFA’s premier club competition. On that occasion, the facade was entirely covered with yellow tiles. This not only improved the look of the ground, it above all paid tribute to the local economy, based on ceramics, and recalled the team’s iconic yellow shirt, from which they have earned the nickname, the Yellow Submarine.