Villarreal were defeated 2-1 at home by relegation-battling Real Valladolid on Saturday in La Liga, effectively ending their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
Quique Setien’s fifth-placed team could have moved within a point of fourth-placed Real Sociedad, who play Athletic Bilbao in a Basque derby later Saturday.
Selim Amallah scored in the second minute for the visitors, and Jawad El Yamiq doubled their lead after Villarreal’s Samu Chukwueze’s goal was disallowed for offside.
Etienne Capoue equalised for the Yellow Submarine, but Valladolid, currently 14th and five points above the relegation zone, came closest to scoring in the closing stages.
Villarreal goalkeeper Pepe Reina made some fine saves to keep Valladolid at bay, after their new coach Paulo Pezzolano was sent off for complaining about Capoue’s strike.
The hosts, who beat champions Real Madrid 3-2 last weekend in a thriller at the Santiago Bernabeu, felt they deserved more.
“The result does not show what happened in the 90 minutes, I think Villarreal were superior in every aspect to Valladolid,” said Villarreal’s Dani Parejo.
“We leave sad and disappointed with the result, but we feel football has been unjust to us.”