And from the resulting corner Chelsea almost bag the opener.

German international Timo Werner does well to stretch his leg around a yellow shirt and poke an effort towards goal which is acrobatically pushed away by Sergio Asenjo.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea are going to have to be clever in crafting their opportunities tonight against a well-drilled Villarreal outfit, you can see each man knows their exact job, marshalled at the back by experienced skipper Raul Albiol.

Meanwhile, Marcos Alonso is on his bike down the left but a cross is cleared for a corner.

Image source, Reuters

Stephen Warnock
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

I think with Chelsea it's about starting off how they left last season, moving the ball quickly because we know how defensively sound they are.

They're geared up to counter attack in this game but Villarreal will also be ready.

Chelsea hogging the ball so far, Villarreal will be happy to sit back like they did in the Europa League final against Manchester United.

Stephen Warnock
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

It puts Chelsea right in the mix and I think Romelu Lukaku is somebody they really needed. If you look at the way Chelsea play and the way they build up, he would become the fox in the box that's been missing. But he'd add so much more to that as well.

He's a natural goalscorer, people will look at his record and it's just phenomenal - his touch and link-up play has massively improved since working with Antonio Conte at Inter Milan. I think he's grown up and matured to really understand the role of a striker.

Image source, Reuters

Chelsea striker Timo Werner will be hoping for a better time in front of goal this season, he bagged just 12 times for the Blues last term.

And he has got competition coming in to deal with soon.

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI at Windsor Park

Rio Ferdinand joined a number of young volunteers on the pitch for the opening ceremony.

It is a much easier time than he had on the Windsor surface back in September 2005 when the 'big man, little man' Northern Ireland strike partnership of David Healy and James Quinn caused him all sorts of problem's during NI's memorable 1-0 win.

Healy got the goal, of course, but we don't need to remind you of that.

Off we go in Belfast.

A quick reminder before we get going of how the two sides line up tonight.

Here come the players, little N'Golo Kante struggles as he brings the Champions League trophy out onto the pitch with Raul Albiol closely following behind with the Europa League one.

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI at Windsor Park

Situated in south Belfast, Windsor Park – or the National Stadium at Windsor Park to give it its full title – has housed many an iconic Northern Ireland international in its 116-year history.

Famous giant-killing victories over England and Spain, as well as the win over Greece that sealed Euro 2016 qualification, are some of the more recent memories of a ground that underwent a major redevelopment in 2015.

Home to current Irish Premiership champions Linfield, a host of huge domestic and European club clashes have also taken place here - but tonight is the stadium’s arrival on the global club stage.

Indeed, this has been billed as the biggest game ever staged in Northern Ireland, and the Irish FA – not always the darlings of the local media – have enjoyed a lot of deserved positivity for their securing of the Super Cup.

So, while tonight’s game may not be quite at the top of Chelsea and Villarreal’s priority list ahead of their new league seasons, the importance of the occasion to the IFA – and football in Northern Ireland generally – cannot be overestimated.

Image source, Getty Images

Unai Emery's side are on quite a run.

Villarreal are unbeaten in their last 15 European games, the most recent three coming against English opponents in last season's Europa League.

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea are appearing in the Super Cup for a fifth time. Since winning their first in 1998 against Real Madrid, the Blues have failed to lift the trophy in each of their last three attempts.

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI at Windsor Park

As is often the case in Northern Ireland, the days are rarely limited to one season’s weather.

After an afternoon of heavy rain in Belfast, this evening has brought lovely sunshine in south Belfast, adding further to the sense of occasion that has gripped Windsor Park over the past few days.

The national stadium's pitch has not been without its critics in recent years, but it is looking resplendent in the evening sun as the players of both sides continue their build-up - all the while to the backdrop of the Villarreal fans' songs.

The Villarreal fans at Windsor Park are ready for kick-off.

Image source, Getty Images

This is the 18th consecutive Super Cup game involving an English or Spanish team, with 2003 the last time neither country figured as AC Milan beat Porto 1-0.

Bayern Munich defeated Sevilla in last year's match.

Image source, Getty Images

Northern Ireland has had the privilege of hosting some major global events, sporting and otherwise, over recent years.

The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 2019 and the MTV Awards in Belfast in 2011 spring to mind, but on Wednesday night the eyes of the footballing world will be on Belfast for one of the major showpiece occasions of the European club footballing calendar.

Champions Cup winners Chelsea and Europa League holders Villarreal will contest the Uefa Super Cup at the National Stadium at Windsor Park in front of 13,000 spectators, with television coverage beamed around the world to billions of viewers in more than 200 countries.

BBC NI examines five talking points ahead of the glamour occasion.

Read the full piece

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI at Windsor Park

Ah, the Chelsea fans are here too.

There's a big Blues following at Windsor tonight - not the first time that has been said at the home of Linfield - and they finally found their voice as their players came on to the pitch to warm up.

It didn't last too long, however, and it is still the Spaniards in the Kop and the bottom of the North Stand who are making themselves heard most - with the welcome for the Yellow Submarine still reverberating around the ground.

Alistair Magowan
BBC Sport

Roma’s general manager Tiago Pinto arrived in London on Wednesday in an attempt to complete the signing of Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham, who is on the bench for tonight's Super Cup match.

Reports have suggested that the Serie A club, whose manager is former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, have already agreed a deal with the Champions League holders, although BBC Sport has not been able to confirm that.

But Roma are set for further talks with a view to signing 23-year-old England international Abraham, who has two years left on his contract and is still considering his next move.

Arsenal are also interested in signing Abraham, who was Chelsea’s joint top goalscorer in all competitions last season.

Abraham was rarely used after Blues boss Thomas Tuchel took over midway through last term and with Inter Milan forward Romelu Lukaku set to return to Stamford Bridge, playing chances could be further limited.

One in, one out for Chelsea?