In Villarreal, the hours before a European night were overtaken by a far more serious concern: goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi and his family were the victims of an armed robbery at their home. Nobody inside the property was injured, but the incident left Gulacsi unavailable for the Champions League visit of Napoli.
Key takeaways
- The robbery took place in the early hours of 13 October, shortly before Villarreal’s Champions League fixture.
- Gulacsi was at home with his family when the armed assailants entered.
- All members of the goalkeeper’s household escaped physical harm.
- Luiz Junior replaced Gulacsi in Villarreal’s starting line-up, with Ruben Gomez Peris on the bench.
- Villarreal recovered from an early deficit to beat Napoli 3-1 at Estadio de la Ceramica.
A family emergency before Napoli
The break-in meant football immediately became secondary for Villarreal and their goalkeeper. Gulacsi was unable to join the squad’s plans for one of the major fixtures in the club’s calendar, with the immediate focus instead on the wellbeing of those affected by the robbery.
The intruders’ entry into the family home created a distressing build-up to the match, although the central relief was that Gulacsi, his relatives and everyone else present came through the episode without injury. No information has been disclosed about any material losses arising from the robbery.
Villarreal’s staff therefore turned to Luiz Junior for the match, allowing Gulacsi time away from the sporting demands of the occasion after the events of the night.
Villarreal turn the match around at La Ceramica
On the pitch, Villarreal produced a strong response in the second round of the UEFA Champions League league phase. Napoli struck first through Amir Rrahmani in the eighth minute, putting the hosts behind early in Castellon.
The Spanish side answered swiftly. Georges Mikautadze levelled in the 23rd minute and Santiago Mourino put Villarreal ahead three minutes later. Mani Oluwaseyi added the decisive third goal in the 86th minute, completing a 3-1 victory.
Luiz Junior played in goal for Villarreal, while Ruben Gomez Peris was named among the substitutes, as the club navigated an unsettling day off the field and a significant European result on it.
