A helpless Napoli sinks into Europe: Villarreal comes back and wins, the Azzurri still dry.

Napoli collapsed in Spain and suffered their second consecutive European defeat. The match ended 3-1 at Villarreal, with the Azzurri starting strongly, taking the lead through Rrahmani, only to fall behind within minutes. Politano's error, Mouriño's long-range effort, and Oluwaseyi's second-half goal were the main factors.

Massimiliano Allegri's team got off to a flying start and broke the deadlock in the eighth minute. Following a corner, a clever move freed Rrahmani, who headed home. Luiz Júnior parried the first attempt, but the Kosovar defender was quickest to respond and made it 1-0.

Napoli nearly doubled their lead in the 22nd minute when Højlund, fed by a Politano cross from the right, headed the ball into the top corner. It was a chance that could have turned the game around.

A minute later, however, the incident that changed everything came to a head. Politano botched a back pass and handed the ball to Mikautadze: the Georgian striker beat Milinković-Savić and slotted the ball into an empty net to make it 1-1.

The equalizer changed the momentum of the match, and Villarreal capitalized immediately. In the 26th minute, Mouriño advanced to within 30 meters of the goal and unleashed a powerful, precise right-footed shot into the far corner. The Spaniards thus completed their comeback and went into halftime with a 2-1 lead.

In the second half, the pace slowed, and chances were scarce for over half an hour. Napoli attempted to reorganize with Allegri's substitutions, but struggled to find space and mount a concrete response. Højlund attempted to reopen the game after a service from Lucca, but the opposing goalkeeper blocked his path. Shortly afterward, a dangerous ball from De Bruyne crossed the penalty area undeflected and went just wide.

The Azzurri's hopes were dashed in the 41st minute of the second half. Ayoze Pérez received the ball on the edge of the box and played it first-time to Oluwaseyi, who beat Milinković-Savić with a left-footed shot to make it 3-1.

Napoli were unable to react and left Spain with a defeat that complicated their European campaign. The Azzurri paid dearly for their defensive lapses and missed opportunities, after a start that had raised hopes of a different evening.

Allegri's team will be called upon to bounce back next Tuesday, when Bodø/Glimt arrives at the Maradona. An immediate response will be needed to break their Champions League losing streak and regain confidence.