Villarreal all-but out of Europa League after falling to 4-0 defeat against Marseille in first leg

Villarreal are staring down the barrel of exiting the Europa League at the last 16 stage, having succumbed to a damaging 4-0 first leg defeat to Marseille, in what was a very disappointing return to the Stade Velodrome for head coach Marcelino Garcia Toral.

Jordan Veretout got for the hosts up and running on 23 minutes, and soon after, their advantage was doubled in comical fashion. Yerson Mosquera couldn’t sort his feet out quick enough, and the ball hit off him and into the Villarreal net, past the hapless Pepe Reina.

Marseille weren’t done there, and they added a third inside the first half. Former Barcelona forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang slotted home a penalty just before the interval, just out of the reach of Reina.

Aubameyang would add a fourth in the second half, and things got even worse for Villarreal when Alberto Moreno – on as a half time substitute – was sent off after 62 minutes for two bookable offences.

The return leg will take place at the Ceramica next Thursday, but barring a miracle on that occasion, Villarreal will be exiting the Europa League, and in very disappointing fashion too.