Villareal miss goalkeeper Gulácsi after armed robbery ahead of Champions League duel

While the evening sun was setting over the Estadio de la Cerámica, Villareal prepared for the Champions League duel with Napoli, but the Hungarian goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi was not under the crossbar. The 36-year-old keeper had become a victim of an armed robbery at his own home on Tuesday morning, with his wife and two children present but unharmed.

Incident and club reaction

Multiple Spanish media reported that the robbery took place in the early hours of Tuesday. Villareal gave the keeper space to process the incident and decided not to include him in the match squad.

Replacement and previous appearances

Luiz Júnior takes the place in goal for the clash with Napoli. Gulácsi, who moved from RB Leipzig to Villareal last summer, had so far stood under the crossbar four times in the league and was the goalkeeper in the lost Champions League duel against Borussia Dortmund.

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Emotional impact

The club emphasized that the decision is based on the emotional burden for Gulácsi and his family. The club wants to prevent the incident from affecting the team's performance.