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Villarreal’s ambitions for a top-four La Liga finish suffered a significant setback on Saturday following a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Getafe.
The “Yellow Submarine,” which currently occupy the final Champions League qualification spot, looked uncharacteristically sluggish throughout the contest.
Getafe took advantage of the visitors’ poor form late in the first half when Mauro Arambarri converted a penalty to give the hosts a deserved lead just before the interval.
The situation worsened for Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side early in the second half when Martin Satriano found the back of the net to double Getafe’s advantage.
Although Georges Mikautadze managed to pull a goal back for Villarreal to spark hopes of a late rally, the team was unable to produce an equaliser.
The loss leaves Villarreal stagnant in the standings and creates a window of opportunity for fifth-place Real Betis, which could move within four points of the top four with a victory over Mallorca on Sunday.
The result adds further drama to a high-stakes weekend in Spanish football. While Villarreal struggle to defend their position, the title race continues to intensify.
Real Madrid have the opportunity to move into the provisional top spot later tonight as they host Real Sociedad, while current league leaders Barcelona are set for a difficult away fixture at Girona on Monday.
