Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey marked his official debut for Villarreal as his new team began their LaLiga campaign with a convincing 2-0 victory over newly promoted Real Oviedo, who were forced to play most of the match with ten men.
The Ghanaian international, now 32 years old, entered the pitch as a late substitute in the 82nd minute, making his first appearance since completing a summer move to the Spanish side. Partey’s arrival at Villarreal came on August 7, shortly after his contract with Arsenal expired at the end of June.
His transition to a new chapter in his career coincides with ongoing legal issues in England, where he was granted conditional bail last week at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. The midfielder is currently facing five charges of rape and one charge of sexual assault, allegations that he has strongly denied.
Despite the circumstances off the field, Villarreal opted to bring him in as a reinforcement, and Sunday’s appearance marked the beginning of his playing career in Spain.
The game itself took a decisive turn early on when Real Oviedo’s midfielder Alberto Reina was sent off in the 27th minute after receiving a second yellow card. Villarreal immediately capitalized on the man advantage, breaking the deadlock just two minutes later.
Etta Eyong rose highest to meet a cross and powered in a header to give the hosts the lead. The pressure continued to mount on the visitors, and by the 40th minute, Villarreal had doubled their advantage through Pape Gueye, who found the back of the net to put his side in firm control before the interval.
Oviedo, playing their first match back in the Spanish top flight after promotion, struggled to create clear opportunities with a man down.
Villarreal, meanwhile, managed the game comfortably, keeping possession and limiting the chances for the opposition. Partey’s introduction late in the game gave fans a glimpse of what he might offer as the season unfolds, though he had little time to make a significant impact on the scoreline.
Earlier in the day, the LaLiga season officially kicked off at Estadio Montilivi, where Rayo Vallecano secured a 3-1 away win over Girona, another side who finished the match a man short. Rayo stormed into a commanding position in the first half, scoring twice in quick succession.
Goals from Jorge de Frutos and Alvaro Garcia gave the visitors a two-goal cushion midway through the opening period.
Girona’s task was made even more difficult just before half-time when goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga was shown a straight red card in the 43rd minute for bringing down De Frutos inside the area. Isi Palazon converted the penalty to extend Rayo’s lead to 3-0 by the break.
Although Girona pulled one back in the second half through Joel Roca, the numerical disadvantage left them with too much ground to cover. Rayo comfortably held on to secure all three points, rounding off a lively start to the 2025/26 LaLiga season.
