Athletic Bilbao delivered a commanding performance to defeat Atlético Madrid 3-0 at San Mamés on Saturday, as reported by La Nación. This LaLiga EA Sports matchday four result marks the Basque club's second consecutive win after a patchy start to the 2026/27 season.
How did Athletic Bilbao's big win unfold?
The match, covered by Mundo Deportivo, saw Atlético Madrid control the first half and create the better chances. The second half, however, brought a dramatic collapse from Diego Simeone's side. Within two minutes of the restart, Nico Williams and Robert Navarro scored for Athletic, a blow from which the visitors never recovered. Oihan Sancet added a third late on, sealing a comprehensive victory that confirms Edin Terzić's team's improving form at home.
Atlético's defensive lapse was central to the story, as highlighted in Mundo Deportivo's match report. The Basque side, fresh from a win at Celta Vigo, showed lethal efficiency in front of goal. This victory is Terzić's first at San Mamés as Athletic manager and lifts the team to six points in the league table. Fans can follow the team's progress in the competition standings.
What was Lee Kang-in's role in Atlético's defeat?
South Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in had been a standout for Atlético in the early season, but his fortunes shifted in Bilbao. An analysis from Evrimagaci.org noted that the player, who started the match, came close to scoring in the first half when his shot struck the post. His previous form, which included a debut goal and a key assist against Sevilla, could not prevent his team's collective collapse at San Mamés.
Lee Kang-in had become an important figure for Simeone, with his shirt sales reportedly topping the club's charts. His summer arrival from Paris Saint-Germain raised expectations, which were dampened by Saturday's overall result. The player completed the match, and his team must now focus on their upcoming Champions League fixture.
What is the story behind Athletic's transfer market activity?
A notable feature of Athletic Bilbao's summer was their complete lack of transfer activity. Goal.com pointed out that the Basque club was one of only two in Europe's top five leagues to make no signings during the summer window. This decision reinforces the club's commitment to its youth academy and its philosophy of fielding only players developed in the Basque region.
Manager Edin Terzić will therefore navigate the season with the same squad he started the campaign with. This places additional emphasis on academy output and injury prevention, with current status available on our injuries page. The squad, detailed in our squad section, relies on figures like Unai Simón, the Williams brothers, and Sancet to achieve its goals.
What was the reaction to Julián Álvarez's appearance?
The return of Argentine striker Julián Álvarez to the pitch sparked a controversial episode. According to the report from La Nación, Álvarez came on in the 70th minute alongside Cristian Romero when the score was already 0-2. His introduction was met with whistles from a section of the travelling support, a gesture of discontent repeated after rumours of a potential move to FC Barcelona during the transfer window.
Álvarez had missed Atlético's previous match and his return came in an adverse context. For Romero, however, this match marked his official debut for the club after his transfer from Tottenham. Simeone's team now travels to England to face Liverpool on Wednesday in the Champions League, a fixture listed on our upcoming fixtures calendar.
