Villarreal, semi-finalist of the last Champions League, winner of the Europa League in 2021, looked like a favorite for this Europa League Conference.
The yellow submarine was however sunk at home (0-1, 1-1 on the way) Thursday evening by Anderlecht. Islam Slimani, 34, who arrived from Brest, Belgium, on the last day of the winter transfer window, scored the only goal of this eighth return final (73rd).
In the other matches of the evening, West Ham pulverized Larnaca, thanks in particular to a brace from Jarrod Bowen. Alkmaar for its part eliminated Lazio Rome (2-1), bad news for France in the race for fifth place in the UEFA index as the orange threat becomes clearer with the success earlier in the day of Feyenoord against in Shakhtior Donetsk.
