Villarreal tasted glory for the first time in the 2020/21 UEFA Europa League Final. Unai Emery's boys have beaten Manchester United on penalties after ending 1-1 in 120 minutes. The game was decided in a dramatic penalty shootout in which every player has taken his chance, with David De Gea failing the decisive shot that handed the Spanish side the victory.
Emery has led the Yellow Submarine to their first-ever major title and achieved a Europa League medal for the fourth time in his career. The Red Devils were seen as favorites before the game, as they finished second in the Premier League and were aiming to end a four-year trophy-less streak.
However, the brave La Liga team has once again defeated an English giant after knocking Arsenal out in the semifinals, and its victory led to multiple memes on the Internet which recognized Emery's job and also mocked De Gea.
Unai Emery gets praised for Villarreal's triumph while De Gea is in the eye of the storm
Villarreal may have not been considered as a strong candidate to win this title. Soccer brings us these kinds of surprises, though, and we've seen a new chapter of an underdog side beating the favorites. Once again, Unai Emery proved his teams should never be counted out.
The Yellow Submarine have taken the lead 29 minutes into the game thanks to Gerard Moreno, but Edinson Cavani tied it in the second half. Nevertheless, they held onto the draw and forced the penalties in which all of their players, even goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli, scored before David De Gea's miss secured Villarreal's win. Soccer fans were suddenly all over the Internet sharing the funniest memes about Emery's success, Arsenal's failure with him, and De Gea's mistake that granted the opponents the win.
It's been quite an emotional road for Villarreal, who capped their continental campaign with a memorable Europa League title that will live forever in their memory. Manchester United couldn't end their drought and left Poland empty-handed, hoping to bounce back in the next season once and for all.
