Former Arsenal and Atlético Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey made his Villarreal debut as a late substitute as his new side launched their LaLiga season with 2-0 home win against 10-man Real Oviedo.
Partey, 32, who was granted conditional bail at Westminster Magistrates’ Court last week after being charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, stepped off the bench in the 82nd minute.
There was a mix of jeers and applause by Villarreal fans when he replaced Santi Comesaña.
The Ghana international, who has denied all the charges against him, left Arsenal after his contract expired in June and joined Villarreal in last week.
Newly-promoted Oviedo missed a penalty in the 14th minute when Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Júnior saved in the bottom left corner a shot by veteran striker Salomón Rondón.
Later in the first half, Oviedo were reduced to 10 men when Alberto Reina received his second yellow card.
Etta Eyong headed Villarreal into the lead two minutes later and Pape Gueye struck their second before half-time.
The curtain was lifted on the new LaLiga season in an earlier kick-off at Estadio Montilivi, where visitors Rayo Vallecano beat 10-man Girona 3-1.
Two goals in as many minutes from Jorge de Frutos and Álvaro García put Rayo 2-0 up midway through the first half before Girona’s Paulo Gazzaniga was sent off.
The Argentinian goalkeeper was shown a straight red card in the 43rd minute after bringing down De Frutos in the area and Isi Palazón converted the resulting penalty. Joel Roca pulled one back for Girona in the second half but it was too little, too late.
“The way I see it, they were mistakes by Girona, we all made the mistakes together,” Girona coach Miguel Ángel Sánchez said. “The mistakes were so bad that we can only see them as accidents.”
Defending champion Barcelona opens at Mallorca on Saturday. Atletico Madrid is at Espanyol on Sunday, while Real Madrid hosts Osasuna on Tuesday for its first match of the season.
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