Villarreal CF secured an important victory in the local derby, defeating Valencia CF 2-1 at Estadio de la Cerámica and strengthening its hold on third place in the Spanish LaLiga EA Sports table. Goals for the hosts were scored by Pape Gueye and Santi Comesaña. In other matches of the round, Sevilla FC broke its terrible away streak by defeating Getafe, while Real Betis drew with Rayo Vallecano in a match full of controversy surrounding VAR decisions.

Villarreal's derby victory

Two goals from Pape Gueye and Santi Comesaña gave Villarreal three points against their local rival, allowing them to maintain third position in the league.

End of Sevilla's terrible streak

Sevilla FC won an away league match for the first time since September, defeating Getafe 1-0, despite the suspension of coach Matías Almeyda.

Betis draw and VAR controversies

The Real Betis - Rayo Vallecano match ended in a 1-1 draw but was dominated by lengthy breaks and criticized decisions from the video assistant referee system.

Confirmation of Almeyda's suspension

The appellate court ultimately upheld the seven-match suspension for Sevilla coach Matías Almeyda for an incident with a referee.

Villarreal CF secured three valuable points in the heated derby of the Castellón province, defeating Valencia CF 2-1 at Estadio de la Cerámica. Goals for the "Yellow Submarine" were scored by Pape Gueye and Santi Comesaña, allowing coach Marcelino García Toral's team to maintain a firm grip on third place in the LaLiga EA Sports table. Valencia, despite some improvement after halftime and chances created by players including Arnaut Danjuma, failed to equalize, losing another important match in the fight for European cups. The rivalry between Villarreal and Valencia, clubs located about 60 kilometers apart, is one of the hottest derbies in Spain. Villarreal, a club from a city of approximately 50,000 inhabitants, is an example of football success, having won the Europa League in 2021 and regularly placing at the top of the league, competing with much wealthier giants. In another key match of the 25th round, Sevilla FC achieved its first away league victory since September 2025. The players of Matías Almeyda, who had to watch the match from the stands due to suspension, defeated Getafe CF 1-0 at Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. According to reports, Sevilla players dedicated this victory to their coach, emphasizing their support for him during a difficult period. The appellate court's decision to uphold Almeyda's seven-match ban for an incident with a referee proved final. „"Le dedicamos la victoria"” — Matías Almeyda (through the players) In Andalusia, an exciting match between Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano also took place, ending in a 1-1 draw. However, the match was dominated by lengthy breaks caused by VAR interventions, which lasted a total of several minutes. In the first controversial incident, referee Martínez Munuera, after consulting with video assistant González Fuertes, ruled that Nobel Mendy's foul on Betis forward Cucho Hernández occurred outside the penalty area. Another intervention in the 86th minute concerned a clash between defender Valenta and Andrei Ratiu, which also was not deemed a penalty. Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini strongly criticized VAR's performance after the match. „"Me ha parecido que el VAR intervino muy mal, sin necesidad. El partido duró 104 minutos por dos situaciones que no necesitaban tanto tiempo de revisión."” — Manuel Pellegrini The draw in Seville ended Betis's streak of three consecutive victories, diminishing their chance for direct qualification to the Champions League. Meanwhile, Rayo Vallecano, under coach Iñigo Pérez who praised Pellegrini's adaptability before the match, earned a valuable point in their fight against relegation. In the background of other events, Córdoba CF lost to Almería in the Segunda División, halting their good run, and an audio recording of a controversial VAR decision from another match was published in the media, fueling discussions about the system's transparency. Results of selected matches from the 25th round of LaLiga EA Sports: Villarreal CF 2:1 Valencia CF; Sevilla FC 1:0 Getafe CF; Real Betis 1:1 Rayo Vallecano Upcoming events in LaLiga: February 28, 2026 — LaLiga EA Sports Matchday 26; March 2, 2026 — Valencia - Villarreal return derby? (depending on schedule)

Mentioned People

  • Pape Gueye — Villarreal CF player, scorer of a goal in the match against Valencia.
  • Santi Comesaña — Villarreal CF player, scorer of a goal in the match against Valencia.
  • Matías Almeyda — Sevilla FC coach, suspended for seven matches, to whom the players dedicated the victory.
  • Manuel Pellegrini — Real Betis coach, who strongly criticized VAR's performance after the draw with Rayo Vallecano.
  • Cucho Hernández — Real Betis forward, whose foul in the penalty area was the subject of a controversial VAR decision.