Musacchio, Villarreal's talisman

Mateo Musacchio is currently Villarreal CF's lucky charm. The sceptics may question that assertion, but there is plenty of evidence to back it up. After all, the Yellow Submarine are unbeaten in their last 11 league matches and this streak began in the very game when the Argentine centre-back made his return to Liga BBVA action.

The defender broke his left leg back on 12 April 2015, during a 1-1 draw against Getafe CF. More than seven months later, on 6 December, Musacchio enjoyed his first LaLiga appearance of the current season, against Rayo Vallecano. He came off the bench and a few minutes later Cedric Bakambu scored his second of the encounter to seal a 2-1 victory at El Madrigal, kick-starting an impressive run of form for the team.

Since that game, Villarreal have picked up a further seven wins and three draws in the Liga BBVA. Real Madrid (1-0), Valencia CF (1-0), R. Sporting (2-0), Granada CF (1-0) and Malaga CF (1-0) have all succumbed in Castellon, while Marcelino's team have triumphed away to Real Sociedad (2-0) and RC Deportivo (2-1) – only the side from A Coruña managing to break down a solid defence marshalled by Musacchio en route to defeat.

Two of the Yellow Submarine's draws also featured clean sheets, with the match at home to Real Betis and the trip to Athletic Club both finishing 0-0; in the other stalemate, away to RCD Espanyol, Musacchio nodded home an 88th-minute equaliser to make it 2-2.

Musacchio has started all 10 games since that cameo comeback as a substitute against Rayo. In these 10 outings, the Rosario-born centre-half has regained possession 34 times, totted up 422 passes – 82% of which reached their intended target – and won 60% of his one-on-one duels. Impressive stats indeed, although his talismanic status looks set for a stern test this coming Sunday, when he and Villarreal travel to the Vicente Calderon to take on Atletico Madrid.