Struggling start for Emery on La Liga return
Bengaluru, September 14: Unai Emery, who was making a return to La Liga after a four-year gap, had a struggling start to his campaign after his team Villarreal were held 1-1 at home by promoted Huesca as the top flight of Spanish football started the new season on a low-key note.
by Sajith B WarrierThe top sides -- champions Real Madrid, arch-rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid -- had their first-round matches postponed to give them more rest time after their participation in Champions League and Europa League in August.
Emery has enjoyed a lot of success in Spain in the past with Valencia and Sevilla before stints with PSG (Ligue 1) and Arsenal (Premier League).
It was Emery's first game in charge in Spain since he left Sevilla in 2016.
Villarreal, coming off a fifth-place finish last time, entered the new season amid high expectations after bringing in players such as Dani Parejo and Takefusa Kubo, but it was a struggling start against Huesca.
Villarreal salvaged the draw with a 68th-minute penalty kick converted by Gerard Moreno after video review confirmed a handball by Pablo Maffeo.
Maffeo had put the visitors ahead in the 42nd.
1
2136210
"I think the team did well enough to win the match," Emery said.
"After equalizing we were always very close to their area. We've things to improve, but there were many things that we did well."
Kubo, on loan from Real Madrid, came into the match as a late substitute.
Huesca is back for its second season in the top tier after being relegated immediately following its first promotion two years ago.
However, it was a good outing for Manuel Pellegrini, who was also returning to La Liga as Real Betis beat Alaves 1-0 in an away game with Tello scoring the winner four minutes into the stoppage time.
Pellegrini, a former Real Madrid and Manchester City coach, had last been in the Spanish league with Malaga in 2013.
The La Liga 2020-21 season has started without fans because of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic-enforced health protocols.
Spain has recently seen a surge in COVID-19 cases and has recorded more than 29,700 confirmed deaths.
(With inputs from Agencies)