Champions League Matchday 3: Liverpool vs Villarreal facts

Liverpool will attempt to make it three UEFA Champions League wins from three this season on Matchday 3 when Villarreal – who were also victorious last time out – come to Anfield.

Previous meetings

Both of the sides' previous contests have come in European semi-finals, Liverpool progressing on aggregate on both occasions. In the 2015/16 UEFA Europa League, Villarreal won the first leg 1-0 at home before Liverpool triumphed 3-0 at Anfield.

Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool won both legs in the 2021/22 Champions League semi-finals, 2-0 at home and 3-2 away – although they had to recover from two goals down in the latter encounter. Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk played in both games, as did Villarreal's Juan Foyth.

Liverpool have won their last five matches against Spanish clubs and their last four at home, defeating Atlético de Madrid 2-1 at Anfield in their first game this season.

The Reds have won their last seven group stage/league phase matches against Spanish teams.

Liverpool have also lost only three of their last 16 games at Anfield versus Spanish visitors (W10 D3).

Villarreal have never beaten an English club in the Champions League proper (D6 L10).

Last season's 0-2 home loss against Manchester City made it six successive defeats against Premier League opposition for the Spanish side.

Villarreal are without a win in ten away matches against English teams (D3 L7), since a 2-1 success at Everton in the 2005/06 Champions League third qualifying round. A 0-1 loss at Tottenham on their most recent visit, on Matchday 1 last season, made it three defeats in a row.

Form guide

Liverpool

This is Liverpool's 18th Champions League campaign and a ninth in ten seasons; they have reached the final five times, lifting the trophy in 2005 and at Atleti's Metropolitano stadium in 2019.

The Merseysiders were third in last season's league phase (W6 L2), beating Galatasaray 4-1 on aggregate in the round of 16 before going out to eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight (0-4) – the second successive season they had been eliminated by the French side.

Villarreal

Villarreal are in the Champions League for the sixth time; last season was their first appearance since 2021/22, when they equalled their best run by reaching the semi-finals. This is the first time they have qualified in successive seasons.

The Spanish side finished 35th in last season's league phase (D1 L7).

 Links and trivia

Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai and Villarreal's Péter Gulácsi were team-mates at Leipzig between 2021 and 2023 and both play for Hungary. Gulácsi also played for the Reds between 2008 and 2013 but never made a first-team appearance.

Liverpool's 6-3 win at LASK on Matchday 2 made it five successive league phase victories.

Bradley Barcola's hat-trick in Austria were his first goals for Liverpool; he now has nine goals and nine assists in the Champions League proper.

The Reds have won 15 of their last 16 group stage/league phase home matches (L1).

None of Liverpool's last 55 UEFA competition matches finished goalless, a club record, since a home draw against Real Madrid in the 2020/21 quarter-finals.

None of Liverpool's last 83 Champions League group stage/league phase matches have finished goalless, since a 0-0 draw at PSV Eindhoven on Matchday 1 in 2006/07 – also a club best.

The 3-1 home victory against Napoli on Matchday 2 ended Villarreal's 12-game winless run in the Champions League proper (D2 L10).

Villarreal have lost their last six away European games, scoring two goals and conceding 16. That is their longest losing run in UEFA competition, surpassing the five successive away defeats in 2011.

The Yellow Submarine have conceded first in their last seven Champions League away matches.

Villarreal have conceded in each of their last 13 UEFA competition matches, also a club record.

The Spanish side's last six Champions League matches have produced 24 goals, an average of four per game.

Defender Santiago Mouriño has scored in both of Villarreal's league phase games this season.