Everton v Villareal: David Moyes snapped out of his customary deadpan mode last night as he contemplated the thrill ahead. "It feels like Christmas Eve and I'm opening up all my toys," said the Scot, emotion for once showing as he considered Villarreal's visit tonight.Goodison Park, 8.05On TV: ITV 2

Evertonians can only share his sense of anticipation. They have waited 20 years at Goodison Park for an opportunity to return to Europe's elite and memories of a glorious past have been stirred.

Back in the mid-1980s Howard Kendall's Everton challenged Liverpool at the pinnacle of the English game, propelled by a side full of world-class talent. The 1984/'85 season produced the league title, European Cup Winners' Cup and an FA Cup final appearance. Then came the Heysel disaster.

It is impossible to judge how successful Kendall's side might have proved - they won the league again in 1987 - had they not endured the European ban imposed after Liverpool fans rioted at the 1985 final. In so many ways, Everton never recovered. One of the greatest sides in the club's history eventually broke up.

The Legends lounge at Goodison Park, where Moyes previewed the Champions League qualifier yesterday, is dotted with pictures and memorabilia from that era.

A brief flirtation with the Cup Winners' Cup a decade ago aside, last season's fourth-place finish bucked the trend to bring back European football.

"This is so important for the supporters," said Moyes. "They missed out on Europe all those years ago because of other 'situations'. Everton were at the top of British football, and the troubles in the game had nothing to do with them, but they suffered. There's no way of knowing how much damage was done to this club by the European ban, but that's history. We can make our own history now.

"This is a step upwards and its importance to this club is huge, but it's not boom or bust. There is a rebuilding job on at Everton which will take longer than two qualifying games in the Champions League to complete. But we realise the financial implications of getting through and, if we do qualify for the group stage, we will have earned it."

That is clear given the daunting prospect of defeating the Spanish. Tim Cahill's signing of a new five-year contract worth £27,000 a week is a boost, though Moyes conceded only Internazionale would have been harder opponents than Villarreal, fresh from their highest finish of third in La Liga with Diego Forlan prolific up front and Juan Roman Riquelme scheming at his back.

Much was made of the prospect of Merseyside rivals being drawn together in the third qualifying round, but Villareal, the Yellow Submarines, arguably are Everton's worst nightmare. Their cramped El Madrigal stadium is every bit as intimidating as Goodison; their feverish work-rate, solid defence and clever passing proved too much for Barcelona and Real Madrid in the league last year.

"The draw just made us realise what the Champions League actually means," said Moyes, who played in the European Cup with Celtic as a teenager against Juventus and Ajax. "Any Spanish team would constitute a difficult tie, though I doubt Villarreal will be too pleased to have drawn a side from the Premiership.

"We are the underdogs, but we know we've got a lot of character. We know we'll be fighting and scratching for everything, and that won't change over the two games. We showed last year we were resilient and we never give up. We've come a distance. If someone had told me a year ago we'd be playing Villarreal in the Champions League, then Manchester United in the league, I'd have kissed him."

Everton's supporters would surely feel the same way.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

EVERTON (4-1-4-1): Martyn; Hibbert, Yobo, Kroldrup, Pistone; Neville; Davies, Arteta, Cahill, Kilbane; Beattie.

VILLARREAL (4-3-1-2): Barbosa; Javi Venta, Rodriguez, Alvares, Arruabarrena; Senna, Tacchinardi, Sorin; Riquelme; Forlan, Figueroa.

Referee: T Hanning (Norway).

Guardian Service