Champions League Matchday 3: Villarreal vs Manchester City facts

Villarreal and Manchester City both come into their meeting in Spain on Matchday 3 on the back of 2-2 draws in their last UEFA Champions League fixture.

Last match

City won the only previous matches between the teams in the 2011/12 Champions League group stage, 2-1 in Manchester – Sergio Agüero scoring an added-time winner – and 3-0 in Villarreal with Yaya Touré getting two goals.

Villarreal's 1-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Matchday 1 this season made it five successive defeats against English clubs and no win in the last eight (D3 L5).

The Spanish side have two wins in their last nine home games against English visitors (D4 L3).

City are without a win in five matches against Spanish clubs (D3 L2).

Pep Guardiola's side have won five of their last six group stage/league phase fixtures against Liga teams (L1).

Villarreal

Villarreal are in the Champions League for the fifth time and a first since 2021/22, when they equalled their best run by reaching the semi-finals.

The Spanish side were not involved in European competition in 2024/25; their most recent campaign was a run to the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League round of 16.

Manchester City

This is City's 15th successive season in the Champions League proper; they have featured in every campaign since 2011/12 and have reached the knockout stages in each of the last 12.

Having finished 22nd in last season's league phase (W3 D2 L3), City lost to holders Real Madrid in the knockout phase play-offs (2-3 h, 1-3 a).

Key stats

The 2-2 Matchday 2 draw at home to Juventus, in which Renato Veiga scored a 90th-minute equaliser, ended Villarreal's run of three successive Champions League defeats.

Villarreal have lost only two of their last nine European matches (W5 D2).

The Yellow Submarine have been beaten in only one of their last ten home European games (W6 D3).

City conceded a 90th-minute penalty to draw 2-2 at Monaco on Matchday 2; they are without a win in five away Champions League fixtures (D1 L4).

Guardiola's team have won only two of their last nine Champions League matches (D2 L5).

The Cityzens were 2-0 winners at home to Napoli on Matchday 1 and have lost only three of their last 22 group stage/league phase fixtures (W14 D5).

Erling Haaland made his 50th Champions League appearance at Monaco, scoring his 52nd goal; the previous best for a player in his first 50 games was Ruud van Nistelrooy, with 43.

Haaland has 36 goals in his 32 group stage/league phase appearances.