Villarreal manager Unai Emery confessed he knew Atalanta would fight back from 3-0 down and feared they’d ‘pull a rabbit out of the hat’ in their Champions League showdown. ‘They’re among the best teams in Europe.’

The Spaniards knew a point here would be enough to secure their Champions League status, but took the lead in Bergamo within three minutes and went on to boast a 3-0 advantage.

It’s never over until the final whistle for La Dea, who fought back for 3-2 and hit the woodwork three times.

Champions League | Atalanta 2-3 Villarreal: Unlucky Dea drop out

“You saw how difficult it is to play against Atalanta, because they are now in the elite of Italian football, play beautiful football and are in great form,” said Emery in his press conference.

“There were so many chances from both sides, so many marvellous players on the field. We knew even at 3-0 that they were capable of turning it around, so we had to be fully focused.

“We have now found our own credibility in the Champions League and feel more confident going forward. It’s something to celebrate, then we’ll see what the draw holds for us in the Round of 16.”

The game was originally scheduled for last night, but was postponed due to a snowstorm in Bergamo.

“It was complicated to go to bed last night with the adrenaline pumping through our veins. We realised that it didn’t matter how many goals we had, we always needed to go for more, because Atalanta can hurt you at any moment and we couldn’t stop.

“When Atalanta got it to 3-2, I really expected them to pull a rabbit out of the hat. We couldn’t be sure of anything, but we did well. We knew full well they were one of the best teams in Italy, but also among the best in Europe.

“We had good performances recently against Manchester United, Barcelona and Sevilla, but lost and that made us depressed. This victory will give back some positivity.”

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