Athletic Club reinforced its grip on a spot in the Champions League mix after edging Real Sociedad 2-1 at San Mamés, extending a remarkable run that has kept the Basque side chasing Europe for three straight months. The triumph reinforces their position among the top teams, with a growing cushion in the league table as the campaign moves forward.
Berenguer emerged as both the luckiest and the sharpest player, delivering two crosses from Yuri Berchiche and Nico Williams in the first half. He found the goal almost by instinct when his teammates hesitated to shoot and the visitors failed to clear, and his strike came at a moment of hesitation in the opposition’s defense. The guests replied when Captain Oyarzabal redirected Aihen Muñoz’s off-target effort with his chest to pull the game back to 2-1.
Two Navarrese goals before the break tipped the balance in favor of Ernesto Valverde’s side, who then stretched an unbeaten run to thirteen matches, including five wins on the bounce and ten consecutive victories across all competitions. Three of those wins came in the Copa del Rey, while seven occurred in the league, where the lions collected 23 points from the last 27 available.
Athletic will stay in the Champions League places for now, pending the completion of the twentieth round. They sit third, three points clear of Atlético Madrid and level with FC Barcelona, while nine points ahead of Real Sociedad, whose defeat on the day complicated their own outlook. The league position remains precarious but favorable, anchored by the results of this weekend.
The only positive takeaway for Real Sociedad is that Athletic’s goal difference in the first leg at the Reale Arena stood at 3-0, a buffer that still mattered in the narrative of the fixture.
Manuel Alguacil opted to deploy Odriozola at right-back, a decision that initially looked solid. But when Nico Williams teed off and the San Sebastian native was injured after a sprint, the dynamic of the match shifted.
Real Sociedad began the game with a sharper focus and more threatening intent, even if they did not control the tempo. Athletic had not enjoyed the ascendancy in recent fixtures, yet the visitors found themselves tested by a composed home side that refused to surrender.
After Odriozola’s switch, Valverde’s team loosened their shackles and began to press Unai Marrero’s goal in an unusual and relentless fashion. Berenguer’s header from a Vesga set piece opened the scoring, with the youngest Williams delivering support and the towering Galarreta imposing himself in midfield.
A foul in the Oyarzabal area just before the half provided the opener, and the red-and-whites carried that lead into the break, echoing the strong performance from Sunday’s 3-0 win at Eibar.
In the rush to the decisive minutes, Nico combined with Yuri from the left and Gipuzkoan’s cross found a finish for 1-0. Berenguer’s near post touch nearly redirected the ball into the net, with Zubeldia and Marrero involved in the near-miss that might have altered the course of the match.
Zakharian carved out a solid chance in the box but guided his finish wide with his right foot. The follow-up for Athletic arrived soon after when Sancet found a clever seam for Nico to strike and score after a center from Berenguer. Vesga and Guruzeta had earlier failed to convert loose balls in the danger zone.
Real Sociedad almost equalized before the break when Zubeldia’s shot, deflected by Guruzeta, nearly beat the goalkeeper, only to sail over the crossbar.
The second half failed to deliver a flood of chances, and both sides appeared to settle into a tense rhythm with little to separate them. Athletic pressed on, but clear-cut opportunities were scarce while Real Sociedad stayed compact and vigilant near Simón.
Late drama arrived as the match neared its end. In the 88th minute, Oyarzabal added life to the affair, chesting in a deflected effort from Magunazelaia to make it 2-1. The strike capped a dramatic arc, but Athletic’s lead from the first half held firm through the whistle.
Overall, the performance reinforced Athletic Club’s standing as a strong European contender, with the victory reinforcing confidence in their attack and midfield balance. The result also highlighted the depth of their squad, capable of producing decisive moments across a demanding run of fixtures. [Source: Marca]