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imago-sport-1084347901.jpgZUMA Press Wire
Adhe Makayasa

Ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi forced to miss Champions League match after being held at gunpoint

P. Gulacsi
Villarreal
Villarreal vs SSC Napoli
SSC Napoli
Champions League
LaLiga
Liverpool

Former Liverpool goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi was ruled out of Villarreal's European encounter against Napoli after becoming the victim of an armed robbery at his residence in Spain. The veteran Hungarian shot-stopper and his family were targeted by intruders just hours before the continental fixture was scheduled to kick off on Tuesday.

  • Hungarian veteran suffers terrifying ordeal

    The 36-year-old goalkeeper was forced to withdraw from the Yellow Submarine's matchday squad for Tuesday's Champions League fixture following an armed robbery at his home. As reported by The Associated Press, four masked intruders armed with handguns broke into his luxury residence in Puzol, north of Valencia, while the keeper was inside with his wife, Diana Vigh, and their children. The club announced ahead of kick-off that Gulacsi was unavailable "due to personal reasons", with Luiz Junior stepping in between the posts.


  • imago-sport-1084453731.jpgPsnewZ

    Masked intruders target luxury estate

    The terrifying ordeal lasted around an hour on Tuesday morning, with Gulacsi forced at gunpoint to hand over valuables from a locked safe. Fortunately, no family members suffered physical injuries, though the shot-stopper was left badly shaken before the gang fled the scene in two luxury cars. Local police have launched an investigation to track down the suspects, who remain at large, while authorities assess the total value of the stolen possessions.

  • Experienced stopper endures turbulent start

    The harrowing incident mars the start of Gulacsi's new venture in Spain, having joined Villarreal in August following an 11-year spell as first choice at German outfit RB Leipzig. During his time in Saxony, the Hungarian international - who won 58 caps before retiring from the national team in the summer of 2025 - made over 350 competitive appearances. Prior to his Bundesliga success, he spent six years on the books at Liverpool from 2007 without making a senior appearance, taking in loan spells with Hereford United, Tranmere Rovers, and Hull City.

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  • imago-sport-1082625863.jpgANP

    Historic triumph ends European drought

    Despite Gulacsi's absence, Villarreal secured a convincing 3-1 victory over Napoli at the Estadio de la Ceramica to end a 12-match winless run in the Champions League. That maiden continental win since April 2022 brought an emphatic conclusion to the worst winless streak in the club's European Cup history. The club's immediate priority is supporting the goalkeeper's psychological recovery while awaiting updates from the police investigation before he returns to domestic action.