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Villarreal Beats Napoli as Mouriño Scores Early

By Drooid · Oct 18, 2026, 10:28 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Villarreal CF defeated Napoli in the Champions League, earning three points.
Santiago Mouriño scored, becoming Villarreal's first player to net in the opening two Champions League matches.
President Fernando Roig, 79, said he feels anxious before big games.
Roig will travel with the squad to Liverpool for the Anfield match.
Roig, who has led Villarreal for 30 years, bought the club in 1997 with €80 million debt.

History

Historical Context

The European Court of Justice’s 15 December 1995 Bosman ruling, filed by Belgian player Jean-Marc Bosman, abolished transfer fees for out-of-contract EU players and ended league quotas on EU nationals. It spurred player mobility, with foreign-player shares in England and Germany reaching 57 % by 2007, reshaping club finances. Villarreal’s 2024 Champions League campaign under owner Fernando Roig reflects that legacy.

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Story summary

Villarreal CF defeated Napoli in the Champions League, earning three points.
Santiago Mouriño scored, becoming Villarreal's first player to net in the opening two Champions League matches.
President Fernando Roig, 79, said he feels anxious before big games.
Roig will travel with the squad to Liverpool for the Anfield match.
Roig, who has led Villarreal for 30 years, bought the club in 1997 with €80 million debt.

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