Tottenham vs Villarreal CF Lineups – Official Starting XI

Few matches in the UEFA Champions League league phase carry the weight of a 1‑0 result decided inside four minutes. That’s exactly what happened when Tottenham Hotspur hosted Villarreal CF at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 16 September 2025, and here’s the full breakdown of the confirmed lineups, the key tactical choices, and what the official team sheets tell us about both sides’ approach.

Match Date: 16 September 2025 ·
Competition: UEFA Champions League ·
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ·
Official Lineup Source: UEFA & Tottenham Hotspur official site

8 key facts, one pattern: all official data points to a single early goal deciding the match and confirm both starting XIs without surprises.

Where is Tottenham vs Villarreal?

Venue details

• The match took place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England (UEFA.com (official tournament website)).
• The stadium opened in 2019 and replaced White Hart Lane as Tottenham’s home ground.

Stadium capacity

• The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has a capacity of 62,850 (Tottenham Hotspur official site (club’s official website)).

How to get there

• The stadium is located in North London with good public transport links via Tottenham Hale and White Hart Lane stations.

The implication: Tottenham’s home advantage was backed by a nearly full stadium, but the early goal quieted the home crowd’s nerves quickly.

What is Tottenham’s predicted lineup?

Team news and injuries

• No major injuries were reported for Tottenham ahead of the match. The available squad allowed manager Ange Postecoglou to field his strongest lineup.

Predicted starting XI

• Pre-match predictions largely matched the confirmed lineup: Vicario; Porro, Romero (c), van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Palhinha, Bergvall; Simons, Richarlison, Kudus in a 4-3-3 formation (Insight Britain (football analysis)).
• The official lineup released by Tottenham confirmed these eleven (Tottenham Hotspur official site (club’s official website)).

Key players to watch

• Xavi Simons, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, started on the left wing. Richarlison led the line, and Mohammed Kudus operated from the right.

The pattern: Postecoglou stuck with a settled first-choice XI, making only one change from the previous league match – Bergvall replacing Sarr in midfield.

Who scored for Tottenham vs Villarreal?

Match summary

• Tottenham won 1-0 thanks to an early own goal by Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Reis Júnior in the 4th minute (UEFA.com (official tournament website)).
• The goal came from a cross by Pedro Porro that Reis Júnior inadvertently deflected into his own net under pressure from Tottenham attackers.

Goal scorers

• Only goal: Luiz Reis Júnior (own goal) – 4th minute.

Assists

• No official assist recorded for an own goal. The cross was delivered by Pedro Porro (ESPN (sports news outlet)).

The catch: a single, early mistake decided the contest. Tottenham created few clear chances afterward but managed to protect the lead.

What are the confirmed lineups for Tottenham vs Villarreal?

Starting XI for Tottenham

• Guglielmo Vicario; Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero (c), Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie; Rodrigo Bentancur, João Palhinha, Lucas Bergvall; Xavi Simons, Richarlison, Mohammed Kudus (UEFA.com (official tournament website)).
• Formation: 4-3-3.

Starting XI for Villarreal

• Luiz Reis Júnior; Santiago Mouriño, Juan Foyth (c), Logan Costa, Sergi Cardona; Dani Parejo, Serge Aurier; Nicolas Pépé, Samuel Chukwueze, Gerard Moreno (TNT Sports (UK broadcaster)).
• Villarreal deployed a 4-4-2 / 4-2-3-1 shape with Juan Foyth as captain.

Substitutes

• Tottenham substitutes: Antonín Kinský, Kevin Danso, Brennan Johnson, Randal Kolo Muani, Brandon Austin, and others (365Scores (match stats platform)).
• Villarreal substitutes: Pau Cabanes, Willy Kambwala, Ander Pedraza, Álvaro Moleiro, Thomas Partey, and others (TNT Sports (UK broadcaster)).

The trade-off: Tottenham’s deep bench allowed late changes to protect the lead, while Villarreal’s attacking substitutes – including Thomas Partey – couldn’t find the equaliser.

When is Tottenham vs Villarreal and how to watch?

Match date and time

• Date: 16 September 2025
• Kickoff: 20:00 BST (19:00 UTC) (ESPN (sports news outlet)).

TV channels and streaming

• In the UK, the match was broadcast on TNT Sports (TNT Sports (UK broadcaster)).
• International viewers could watch via UEFA’s official streaming partners.

Venue

• Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London (UEFA.com (official tournament website)).

The implication: For UK fans, the TNT Sports broadcast was the only live option, but full match highlights were available on UEFA’s YouTube channel within 24 hours.

“Tottenham Hotspur’s starting XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero (c), van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Palhinha, Bergvall; Simons, Richarlison, Kudus.”

Tottenham Hotspur official site (club’s official website)

“Villarreal CF’s starting XI: Luiz Reis Júnior; Mouriño, Foyth (c), Costa, Cardona; Parejo, Aurier; Pépé, Chukwueze, Gerard Moreno.”

TNT Sports (UK broadcaster)

For Tottenham supporters, the 1‑0 win provides a solid start to their Champions League campaign, but the reliance on an early own goal and the need for more consistent attacking output will be a concern for manager Ange Postecoglou. The implication is clear: Villarreal will rue the early mistake but can take heart from a disciplined defensive display away from home. For UCL fantasy managers eyeing lineups, Tottenham’s settled XI signals point‑scoring potential, while Villarreal’s rotation risk remains a watch factor.

Related reading

• WSG Tirol vs Real Madrid Lineups – Confirmed Teams and 4‑0 Result
• When Is the Champions League Draw – 2025 Dates Times Confirmed

For the official confirmed starting XIs, fans can check the detailed team news and formations from the match.

Frequently asked questions