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Trivia
- Sonny Anderson and Roger pounced on poor defending to end Celtic's dream of a second Uefa Cup final in a row.
- Celtic, last season's runners-up, suffered a blow before kick-off with striker Chris Sutton failing a late fitness test.
- Villareal lost 1-0 on aggregate to Valencia in the semi finals.
Review
Just as in the first leg, Celtic conceded an early goal. Juliano Belletti hung the ball in the air from the right and Anderson reacted quicker than Balde to head the ball over goalkeeper David Marshall after six minutes.
Celtic had claims for a penalty waved away by the referee after 30 minutes, when Rodolfo Arruabarrena challenged McNamara in the box. Another thrusting run and superb cross from McNamara handed Pearson a great chance to equalise, but the midfielder headed powerfully over the bar from 12 yards.
A Henrik Larsson header across the face of goal just evaded Valgaeren as Celtic pressed after the break. Balde produced a superb saving tackle as Anderson seemed poised to stroke home a killer second goal.
That finally came in the 68th minute, when Anderson crossed from the left of the box and Roger showed more desire than Valgaeren and blasted the ball past Marshall.
Teams
Villarreal:-
Reina, Arruabarrena, Coloccini, Belletti, Ballesteros, Josico, Roger, Battaglia, Riquelme, Jose Mari (Javi Venta 85), Anderson.
Subs not used:- Lopez Vallejo, Marti, Victor, Guayre, Quique Alvarez, Calleja.
Goals:- Anderson 6, Roger 68.
Booked:- Josico, Battaglia, Arruabarrena, Javi Venta.
Celtic:-
Marshall, McNamara, Valgaeren, Balde, Varga, Agathe, Lennon, Miller (Smith 71), Petrov, Larsson, Pearson (Wallace 71).
Subs not used:- Douglas, Sylla, Lambert, Mjallby, Beattie.
Booked:- Valgaeren, Pearson.
Attendance:- 15,964.
Referee:- Massimo De Santis (Italy).
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
Villarreal 2-0 Celtic
(Villarreal win 3-1 on aggregate)
BBC
Sonny Anderson put Villarreal ahead after six minutes
More Uefa Cup photos
Sonny Anderson and Roger pounced on poor defending to end Celtic's dream of a second Uefa Cup final in a row.
Brazilian striker Anderson made Bobo Balde pay for early hesitancy to head Villarreal into the lead in the quarter-final second leg in Spain.
Stephen Pearson should have done better than head over for injury-hit Celtic.
But Roger nipped in ahead of an exhausted Joos Valgaeren to power home a volley from 16 yards to clinch a deserved victory for the Spanish side.
Celtic, last season's runners-up, had suffered a blow before kick-off with striker Chris Sutton failing a late fitness test.
Fellow Englishman Alan Thompson had already been ruled out through suspension, so Liam Miller came into midfield and Jackie McNamara into defence.
Just as in the first leg, Celtic conceded an early goal.
No excuses from McNamara
Juliano Belletti hung the ball in the air from the right and Anderson reacted quicker than Balde to head the ball over goalkeeper David Marshall after six minutes.
Jose Mari came close to making it 2-0, beating Balde for pace, but the former AC Milan striker stabbed his shot just wide from the edge of the box.
Juan Riquelme also drove across the face of the Celtic goal after Neil Lennon lost control at the edge of his own penalty area.
Celtic had claims for a penalty waved away by the referee after 30 minutes, when Rodolfo Arruabarrena challenged McNamara in the box.
Another thrusting run and superb cross from McNamara handed Pearson a great chance to equalise, but the midfielder headed powerfully over the bar from 12 yards.
Anderson missed a glorious chance of a second goal when he failed to connect with a cross with his head when only eight yards out.
A Henrik Larsson header across the face of goal just evaded Valgaeren as Celtic pressed after the break.
Balde produced a superb saving tackle as Anderson seemed poised to stroke home a killer second goal.
That finally came in the 68th minute, when Anderson crossed from the left of the box and Roger showed more desire than Valgaeren and blasted the ball past Marshall.
Villarreal: Reina, Arruabarrena, Coloccini, Belletti, Ballesteros, Josico, Roger, Battaglia, Riquelme, Jose Mari (Javi Venta 85), Anderson.
Subs not used: Lopez Vallejo, Marti, Victor, Guayre, Quique Alvarez, Calleja.
Booked: Josico, Battaglia, Arruabarrena, Javi Venta.
Celtic: Marshall, McNamara, Valgaeren, Balde, Varga, Agathe, Lennon, Miller (Smith 71), Petrov, Larsson, Pearson (Wallace 71).
Subs: Douglas, Sylla, Lambert, Wallace, Mjallby, Beattie, Smith.
Booked: Valgaeren, Pearson.
Attendance: 15,964.
Referee: Massimo De Santis (Italy).
O'Neill positive in defeat
BBC
Martin O'Neill preferred to highlight Celtic's growing stature in Europe than dwell on defeat to Villarreal.
"It shows how far we have come in the last few seasons that we are disappointed to lose in the Uefa Cup quarter-finals," said the Celtic boss.
"Expectations are now very high at the football club after reaching the final last season.
"We conceded a poor early goal, but we play as a team and we just missed that sparkle that would turn the tie."
Hesitation by Bobo Balde allowed Sonny Anderson to put Villarreal 2-1 ahead on aggregate and Roger killed the tie after the break.
"But then we had control of the game and I was pleased with the effort shown.
"In the second half, we had to go for it and, if we concede a second goal, you always run that risk."
Celtic lacked the goal threat of striker Chris Sutton, who failed a late fitness test, while influential midfielder Alan Thompson was suspended.
"They were obviously missed tonight, but that's just the way it goes," said O'Neill.
Celtic captain Jackie McNamara, who was voted BBC Scotland man of the match, refused to use the missing personnel as an excuse.
Villarreal 2-0 Celtic
"It is a big loss not having Thommo and Sutton, but I still thought we could win here," he said.
"We lost two bad goals from our point of view, but we had a spell when I thought we could come back into it."
Defeat to Villarreal came after victory over more renowned Spanish opposition in the previous round.
"We knew it was going to be hard, as they are a good side," added McNamara.
"But they are not better than Barcelona and I thought we could have won here."
Celtic's disappointment was tempered slightly by the news that Rangers' draw with Livingston means that the Parkhead outfit can clinch the Scottish title at the weekend – and, with it, a place in the Champions League group stages next season.
Villarreal coach Paquito had a semi-final against local rivals Valencia to look forward to following a campaign that started in the Intertoto Cup.
"It's a dream to reach the semi-finals," he said.
"We're very happy and I congratulate both sets of supporters.
"Either team would have been a just winner. It was amazing to see how both groups of fans enjoyed themselves."