Villarreal determined to seize the moment

LONDON — If Villarreal reaches its first European final at the fourth attempt it will be because of a carefully cultivated blend of home-grown players and intelligent purchases. No one believes it has an easy task in its Europa league semifinal against Liverpool, one of the game’s giants with a clutch of European silverware in its trophy cabinet. But the Spanish side’s appearance in the last four at El Madrigal Thursday vindicates the 19-year strategy of its Valencia-born billionaire President Fernando Roig. Last year the club reinvested the 55.5 million euros (62.79 million) it received from high-profile sales, including Gabriel Paulista to Arsenal and Luciano Vietto to Atletico Madrid to set it up for the new season. It brought in former Spain striker Roberto Soldado for 10 million euros and Cedric Bakambu for seven million, with the Congolese its top scorer on 22 goals in all competitions. The newcomers have blended with regulars Bruno Soriano, Mario Gaspar, Jaume Costa and Manu Trigueros, who all came through the academy, the fruit of a 42 million euro investment in the youth structure by Roig when he first assumed control. With Villarreal on course for a return to the Champions League next season — it is four points clear in fourth place in La Liga with three games left — the mix looks potent for a team which has spent just 16 of its 93 years in the top flight. However, the club’s focus this week is on beating five-time European champion Liverpool and, having come so close to reaching a major continental final in 2004, 2006 and 2011, Villarreal is determined to finally seize the moment. “This club has got close several times and couldn’t do it in the end, so we are really excited about playing this semifinal and above all reaching the final,” said midfielder Denis Suarez. “We’re up against a historic opponent and that makes it extra special, it’s a great stage for the club and for the players.” In 2004 it lost a UEFA Cup semifinal 1-0 on aggregate to neighbor Valencia after a controversial penalty, and was denied a place in the 2006 Champions League final by Arsenal by the same score, Juan Roman Riquelme missing a late spot kick. However, it was convincingly beaten 7-4 on aggregate by eventual Europa League winner FC Porto in the last four in 2011, a result which put the team on a downward spiral that would culminate in relegation little more than a year later. Following ups and downs, its stadium now has a capacity of 24,890, compared with the 51,000 inhabitants of Vila-real, the second smallest town after Monte Carlo to send a team to the Champions League semifinals, and it will definitely be rocking Thursday. The other game will see Sevilla take on Shakhtar. — Agencies