# Villarreal President on Liverpool Games and Emotional Strain

> Villarreal president Fernando Roig admits suffering anxiety before Liverpool matches despite 30 years in charge.
- Title: Villarreal President on Liverpool Games and Emotional Strain
- Summary: Villarreal president Fernando Roig admits suffering anxiety before Liverpool matches despite 30 years in charge. Villarreal president Fernando Roig says he…
- Keywords: fernando roig, villarreal, liverpool, champions league, anfield, champions league semi-final, suffering, anxiety, president, 30 years, sports, Games
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/football/2026/oct/18/fernando-roig-villarreal-liverpool-champions-league
- Published: 2026-10-18T07:00:53+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: fernando roig, villarreal, liverpool, champions league, anfield, champions league semi-final, suffering, anxiety, president, 30 years, sports
## Fernando Roig's emotional struggle
Villarreal president Fernando Roig says he suffers anxiety before Liverpool matches despite 30 years in charge.

> I suffer a lot
## First Liverpool match experience
Roig watched Villarreal lose 3-0 to Badajoz in the second division in 1997.
## Longest presidency in Europe
Roig has been Villarreal president for 30 years, overseeing 1,000+ games.
## Liverpool match anxiety
Roig says he gets anxious before Liverpool games, watching training sessions and traveling late.
## First Champions League win
Villarreal beat Napoli in the Champions League, their first win since 2022 semi-final.
## Family and leadership
Roig's son Fernando and daughter Elena help run Villarreal with his Pamesa ceramics business.
## Early struggles
Villarreal started in the second division with 1,500 members and €80m debt in 1997.
## Building the club
Roig built Villarreal from scratch with training grounds, a stadium, and an academy.
## Financial investments
Roig invested €200m over 30 years, with €180m spent on stadium and training facilities.
## Player development
Villarreal developed players like Santi Cazorla and Rodri through their academy.
## Liverpool rivalry
Villarreal has faced Liverpool five times, three at Anfield in European semi-finals.
## 2021 Europa League win
Villarreal won the 2021 Europa League, but Roig missed the final due to Covid.
## Sustainable model
Villarreal focuses on sustainability with modest salaries and no player sales.
## Next steps
Roig says Villarreal will face Liverpool again, but he suffers anxiety before each match.
## Key takeaway

Villarreal president Fernando Roig says he suffers anxiety before Liverpool matches after 30 years as club president.