Las Palmas Falls Short in Comeback Attempt Against Villarreal (1-2)
UD Las Palmas suffered another home defeat (1-2), this time against Villarreal. The islanders remain winless in 2025, despite their undeniable effort on the pitch. Diego Martínez's team pushed forward until the 100th minute, flooding Villarreal’s box with attacks, but their 20 total shots failed to materialize into an equalizer—even with Oli McBurnie hitting the crossbar.
New signing Stefan Bajčetić made his debut in midfield, while McBurnie and Sandro were also notable additions to the lineup. Ongoing squad issues forced Martínez to make several adjustments, even calling up academy players Sergio Ruiz and Elías Romero.
The first big chance of the match came in the 13th minute when McBurnie found space in the center and connected with a cross from Javi Muñoz. His shot on the run went just wide, earning applause from the crowd for the play’s fluidity.
In the 20th minute, the game paused for a tribute to Kirian Rodríguez, met with ovations from teammates, opponents, and fans. Shortly after, Alberto Moleiro created a solo opportunity on the left wing, cutting inside and firing a mid-height shot that narrowly missed the far post.
Las Palmas continued to dominate possession and chances, with Javi Muñoz unleashing another dangerous attempt. As the first half progressed, Moleiro and Sandro had the final opportunities before the break. Moleiro kept driving forward from the left and nearly found the net in the 41st minute with a low shot past the post. Four minutes later, Sandro struck a powerful effort inside the box that also missed by inches.
Despite their attacking persistence, Las Palmas found themselves behind early in the second half. In the 47th minute, Álex Baena broke the deadlock after a play down the left. Sergi Cardona reached the byline and set him up for the finish, delivering a harsh setback to the home side’s momentum.
Things worsened in the 62nd minute when Villarreal doubled their lead. This time, they attacked from the right, with Baena providing the assist for Ayoze Pérez to make it 0-2.
Moleiro and McBurnie both had chances to quickly cut the deficit, with the Scottish striker forcing Villarreal goalkeeper Conde into a brilliant close-range save.
With seven minutes remaining, Las Palmas finally pulled one back through Manu Fuster. Fueled by desperation, they threw everything forward, even repositioning defender Juanma Herzog as a second striker.
The equalizer nearly came in the dying moments—McBurnie rattled the crossbar, and Benito forced Conde into another crucial stop at the post. But despite their relentless pressure, Las Palmas fell just short, still searching for their first win of the year.
