Athletic Bilbao ran riot on Sunday, delivering a stunning 7-1 victory over bottom-placed Real Valladolid during the 25th round of La Liga at the San Mamés stadium.
The match was explosive from the start, with Athletic swiftly taking control and benefiting from their home advantage. Mikel Jauregizar opened the scoring early, just 10 minutes in, catching Valladolid's goalkeeper off-guard with a well-placed shot after receiving the ball at the edge of the box. Jauregizar’s goal set the tone for what would become an overwhelming performance by the Basque side.
Nico Williams showcased his extraordinary talent with a spectacular second goal at the 35-minute mark. Williams displayed impressive footwork, dodging several defenders before slotting the ball perfectly past the visiting goalkeeper, doubling Athletic's lead and raising the spirits of the home crowd.
Before the first half concluded, the rout was confirmed with two more strikes. Maroan Sannadi scored just before halftime at the 43rd minute, expertly finishing from Yuri's cross. Oihan Sancet delivered the final blow before the break, volleying home to make it 4-0, leaving Valladolid shell-shocked.
After halftime, Valladolid attempted to claw back some respectability with Mamadou Sylla managing to score just two minutes after the restart, at 47 minutes. His effort momentarily lifted the spirits of his teammates and fans, as it briefly hinted at the possibility of making the match interesting. Unfortunately for the visitors, any hope vanished quickly when Stanko Juric received his second yellow card, leaving Valladolid with just ten men.
From this point onwards, Athletic took full advantage of their numerical superiority, with Nico Williams adding his second goal of the match at the 66-minute mark with another sensational strike. He found space inside the area and unleashed a powerful shot to the top corner, which left the goalkeeper with no chance.
Three minutes later, Gorka Guruzeta joined the fun, scoring to increase the tally to 6-1 after receiving Iñaki Williams' perfectly timed assist. Iñaki ensured he was also on the scoresheet, sealing the emphatic victory at the 87th minute, ensuring the fans left the stadium celebrating after witnessing not only their team’s commanding performance but also the largest margin of victory since the venue’s renovation.
This remarkable result reinforces Athletic Bilbao's fourth position on the La Liga table, now accumulating 48 points and firmly placing them within the Champions League qualification spots. They sit just three points away from Real Madrid, who played later on the same day.
On the flip side, this defeat plunges Real Valladolid ever closer to relegation, leaving them stranded at the bottom of the table with only 15 points. The atmosphere around the team has been grim since the dismissal of manager Diego Cocca earlier in the week, and the loss against Athletic intensifies pressure on the squad to find solutions to their dismal form.
The victory highlights Athletic’s exceptional performance all season, marked by 16 consecutive games without defeat. With key players like Nico Williams and Sancet stepping up, the team is showing promise of returning to Europe’s premier competition after a ten-year absence.
Looking forward, Athletic Club will aim to keep their momentum going as they prepare for their next clash against Sevilla, hoping to continue climbing the standings. Meanwhile, Valladolid faces another uphill battle as they gear up to host Las Palmas, desperately needing points to avoid slipping out of the top league.
The stark contrasts of fortunes for these two historic clubs were on full display last Sunday, leaving Athletic celebrating their attacking prowess, and Valladolid drowning under the weight of their struggles.