Villarreal president Fernando Roig has reflected on his three decades at the helm of the Spanish club, highlighting the remarkable transformation of the "Yellow Submarine" from a modest team into an established force in Spanish football.
As reported by İdman.Biz, citing AS, Roig recalled his first visit to Villarreal's stadium in 1993, when he attended a Copa del Rey match against Valencia as an ordinary supporter.
"I first came to El Madrigal as a regular fan for a cup match against Valencia back in 1993. What the stadium was like then and what the Estadio de la Ceramica has become today are worlds apart," Roig said.
The club president described the difficult conditions he encountered when he initially took charge, emphasizing the scale of the improvements made over the years.
"When I became president 30 years ago, our stadium could not even accommodate 4,000 spectators, and one of the stands was literally falling apart. Everything you see today is the result of endless construction work, suffering and big dreams," he explained.
Roig admitted that he had always envisioned Villarreal becoming a competitive and stable La Liga club, although turning that ambition into reality required enormous effort.
"Did I imagine something like this at the beginning of the journey? In my mind, yes. I had a clear vision of what Villarreal should become — a stable and strong team in La Liga. That is why I accepted the challenge. Making it happen was another matter entirely. We achieved it through tremendous hard work," he added.
Under Roig's leadership, Villarreal have established themselves among Spain's most competitive clubs, reaching the UEFA Champions League semifinals twice and winning the UEFA Europa League in 2021.
The Spanish side are also among the opponents of Baku-based Sabah in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League, adding particular interest for Azerbaijani football fans.
