Athletic Bilbao secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Atletico Madrid at San Mames on Saturday, September 5, as reported by OneFootball. This LaLiga win comes as Edin Terzic's side looks for consistency, and coincided with the reserve team, Bilbao Athletic, claiming its first home win of the season.
How did the first team win?
The match at San Mames, described by Goal.com as a "compelling fixture", marked a turning point for Athletic. The Basque team, which had shown patchy form in the opening weeks with losses to Barcelona and Sevilla, demonstrated solid attacking and defensive capabilities against a rival sitting third in the table. TV coverage in the United States was available on platforms like Fubo and ESPN Deportes, according to the same outlet.
Atletico Madrid, managed by Diego Simeone, arrived on a positive run backed by a strong pre-season and a win at Sevilla. However, they couldn't handle the intensity shown by the hosts. For Athletic, closing the transfer window without a single signing, making them one of only two clubs in Europe's top five leagues to do so, underscores the club's faith in its youth system and recruitment policy. The current squad, which you can view on our squad page, carries a significant burden.
What happened with Bilbao Athletic?
The reserve team, Bilbao Athletic, earned its first home win at Lezama this same weekend, beating Aviles 2-1. Mundo Deportivo reported that the goals came from Belategi and Peciña in a match decided in the second half. First-team manager Edin Terzic watched the game from the stands, closely observing the young talents.
Bittor Llopis fielded a team with a clear offensive approach, taking an early lead. Despite Aviles's reaction, which leveled the score before halftime, the youngsters managed to regain the advantage and hold on for the win. This victory is a positive sign for the academy, especially in a context where several first-team players are currently injured.
What was the Julian Alvarez situation?
One of the pre-match talking points was the inclusion of Argentine forward Julian Alvarez in Atletico Madrid's squad. According to a report by Athlon Sports carried by Yahoo Sports, the player had been linked with a move to FC Barcelona during the summer, which caused discontent among the Atletico fanbase. Alvarez had only played one game this season, being booed by his own supporters.
Manager Diego Simeone confirmed his inclusion in the traveling squad for Bilbao. "Julian is training very well, he's going to be called up and he's going to be part of the group that travels to play in Bilbao," Simeone stated. The Argentine coach added that he hoped the entire situation would serve "as a learning experience" for the player. His return to the squad comes with the transfer window now closed.
How do injuries affect the team?
The victory was achieved amid significant absences in the Athletic Club squad. Key players currently sidelined include centre-back Dani Vivian, midfielder Beñat Prados, and forward Peio Canales. They are joined by winger Nico Serrano and defender Yeray Álvarez, whose absence limits Terzic's options. Their status can be tracked on our injuries page.
This situation forces the manager to rely even more on squad depth and academy players, like those who shone in the reserve team's win. The team's next fixture, listed on our fixtures schedule, will be another test for a group aiming to establish itself in the upper half of the table, the progress of which you can see in the standings. Athletic Club faces the coming weeks with five confirmed absences in its first team.
