Villarreal goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi and his family were targeted in an armed robbery at their home near Valencia in the early hours of Tuesday. The 36-year-old Hungarian international has been ruled out of his side’s Champions League clash with Napoli following the incident.
Hungarian goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi has been the victim of an armed robbery at his home in Spain, with the footballer’s wife and two children also inside the property during the incident. Fortunately, nobody in the family was injured.
The robbery took place in the early hours of Tuesday at a residential development in Puçol, north of Valencia, according to a report by Telex citing Spanish media.
Gulácsi, who joined Villarreal CF this summer, was suffering from the emotional impact of the incident and did not feature in the club’s Champions League match against Italian side Napoli on Tuesday evening.
Villarreal confirmed that the incident had occurred and said the relevant authorities had been notified immediately and had begun the necessary procedures. Details of the robbery have not yet been made public.
Gulácsi misses Villarreal’s Champions League clash
The incident has forced the Hungarian goalkeeper to miss an important European fixture. According to Spanish sports newspapers Marca and AS, Gulácsi was not in a suitable condition to play following the shock of the robbery.
Gulácsi signed a two-season contract with Villarreal in August 2026, moving to the Spanish top flight after his previous spell in Germany. He made his first appearance for the club on 8 September in a match against Borussia Dortmund.
Villarreal footballers have faced similar incidents before
The incident is not the first time a Villarreal player has been targeted in a robbery at home. In February 2024, former Villarreal midfielder Étienne Capoue was the victim of an attempted burglary at his home in Bétera while his family was also inside the property, 24.hu wrote.
Other footballers connected with Villarreal and Valencia have also reportedly experienced similar incidents in previous seasons, including Toko Ekambi and Zambo Anguissa, as well as former Valencia players Ezequiel Garay, Gabriel Paulista and Geoffrey Kondogbia.
For Gulácsi and his family, the immediate priority is recovering from the ordeal. Although none of them suffered physical injuries, the emotional consequences of the incident are still unfolding as the investigation continues.
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