Liverpool face Spanish side Villarreal in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final tie and we have run the rule over the La Liga outfit to see how they have fared in the European competition this season.

Jürgen Klopp's men have a difficult job on their hands if they're to return to Merseyside with a positive result.

To head into the Anfield second leg with a scoreline advantage, the Reds must inflict a home defeat on 'The Yellow Submarine' for the first time in this season's Europa League.

In their last 11 Europa League clashes, Villarreal remain unbeaten, having won eight and drawn three.

And at Estadio El Madrigal they pose even more of a stern test.

In their 2015-16 Europa League campaign, Marcelino's side have won every single game in their own backyard, conceding just one goal in the process.

While strong at the back and in the middle of the park, up at the top of the field, Villarreal have the tournament's second-top scorer in Cedric Bakambu.

The Congolese striker has found the back of the net nine times in 11 Europa League outings this season - amounting to a ratio of a goal every 85 minutes.

His goals helped the side comfortably finish in second place of Group E - which included Rapid Vienna, Viktoria Plzen and Dinamo Minsk - by winning four of their matches, drawing one and losing the other.

They came up against tough opposition in the knockout stages but the team in fourth place in La Liga overcame the challenges to set up a meeting with Liverpool in the final four.

Villarreal dispatched Napoli 2-1 on aggregate in the Round of 32 before they breezed past Bayer Leverkusen, having established a two-goal lead in the first leg at El Madrigal, and subsequently Sparta Prague.

Sky Sports' commentator on Spanish football, Rob Palmer, gave Liverpoolfc.com the lowdown on what the visitors can expect this evening.

He said: "There's no great expectation on them [Villarreal]. [The supporters] don't demand to get into the final of the Europa League, but it is kind of an adventure for them and it's dangerous for Liverpool.

"They'll be happy to play at home first and then it will be an adventure for them to go and play at the wonderful Anfield in the second game.

"They're a very strong team. They've got good players. They almost play an English style of football - very much a 4-4-2, with two decent full-backs, a good goalkeeper in [Alphonse] Areola, Bakambu scores goals and [Roberto] Soldado has got the experience.

"They've got a guy in the middle called Bruno who has been playing for Spain and they've got a guy called Gaspar who scored against England and is a full-back - he may play for Spain in the Euros this summer, he's probably been the best right full-back in the whole of La Liga.

"I think Liverpool will do well if they can come away scoring at El Madrigal. It will probably come down to the second leg."