Athletic Club vs Villarreal CF

Villarreal snatched a resilient 2-1 win at San Mamés, striking twice before the break to stun Athletic Club on their own turf. It was a ruthless away display from the Yellow Submarine, who punished the hosts despite being well outplayed for long stretches. Sergi Cardona broke the deadlock in the 26th minute before Alfonso González made it 2-0 in the fifth minute of first-half injury time (45+5'). Athletic dominated possession at 61% and peppered the goal with 18 attempts and 15 corners, but only Gorka Guruzeta's 84th-minute strike found a way through — too late to spark a real comeback. The win keeps Villarreal firmly third in La Liga, on course for their best league finish in years. For Athletic Club, the defeat is a sobering reminder that dominance without cutting edge can be a costly habit at this stage of the season.