Real Valladolid faced a pivotal moment as they opened the 26th LaLiga Santander fixture with hopes of steering clear of relegation and catching up to European positions. On a Friday night that mattered for both teams, the home side chased a result that could break a recent drought while Athletic Bilbao sought to maintain momentum and close in on their rivals at the top of the table.
Relating to
- Day 26 of LaLiga Santander in pictures
Ernesto Valverde’s squad arrived after a frustrating sequence that had seen little reward and few goals. The Basque side managed to reset their campaign with a victory that ended a streak of four winless matches, turning the page on the siege by the league leaders and keeping Valladolid within striking distance. A late four-minute window offered a potential change in the game as Larin drew the score level with a well-taken equalizer.
Íñigo Martínez stood out by earning a call to the national team and celebrated with his first goal of the season. The center-back’s precision on a direct free kick, delivered midway through the first half, put Athletic ahead. Valladolid had shown early promise with chances created by Kike Pérez and Larin, but Athletic’s lead changed the rhythm of the match early on.
This is how Luis de la Fuente’s call was celebrated: a precise set-piece strike by Íñigo Martínez transformed the mood on the pitch. Seeing how close the foul was, he was ready to pounce and the goal followed, underscoring the tactical emphasis on set plays in this clash. The moment was captured and later shared on social platforms as a reminder of the team’s sharp execution in the opening period.
— DAZN Spain official channel confirms the strike and its significance for the team’s early advantage.
Williams provided persistent trouble for Valladolid, pushing the hosts to their limits as they searched for a way back into the picture after a difficult run. The visitors doubled their advantage with a near-post finish from Guruzeta shortly after the restart, a goal set up by a well-placed pass from De Marcos that cut through the defense and left the goalkeeper with little chance. Although Álvaro Aguado and Sergio León injected energy from the bench and created additional opportunities, Valladolid could not quite complete the comeback this time.
“So that’s it — I’m off!” shouted Julen Axpe as he contributed with a moment of decisive impact, a reminder of the depth in Athletic’s squad. The play from Williams continued to demand attention, and the team’s fans were treated to an exhilarating display as the match wore on.
— DAZN Spain official channel highlights the famous moment that involved Williams and the intensity of the home crowd’s reactions to the shifts in fortune.
As the match unfolded, Pacheta’s plans appeared to blur under the pressure from Athletic. Manu Pozo, debuting for the visitors, made an immediate impression by striking on his first involvement and helping to wake up Larin’s form. The Canadian forward’s goal had lifted Valladolid’s spirits and brought hope to José Zorrilla, yet the advantage would be short-lived as the visitors extended their lead with another breakthrough shortly after.
The game’s turning point came when a handball by Nico Williams triggered a late penalty decision. The call was immediate and the stadium fell quiet, save for Valladolid’s supporters who briefly celebrated Vesga’s longer-range finish for 3-1 after the successful spot-kick. The result left Valladolid staring at potential relegation trouble if results do not go their way in the coming rounds, especially with a daunting run-in that includes a looming match against Real Madrid.
Data sheet
Real Valladolid: Asenjo; Fresneda, El Yamiq, Javi Sánchez, Escudero; Monchu, Kike Pérez; Silver, Iván Sánchez, Plano; Larin. Substitutes: Joaquín, Pozo, Aguado, Sergio León.
Athletic Club: Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Yeray, Iñigo Martínez, Yuri; Vesga, Dani García; Nico Williams, Sancet, Iñaki Williams; Guruzeta. Substitutes: Berenguer, Muniain, Raúl García, Zagarra.
Goals: 0-1 Iñigo Martínez (m.29); 0-2 Guruzeta (m.56); 1-2 Larin (m.73); 1-3 Vesga, penalty (m.77).
Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas. Cards: Valladolid’s Larin (m.88), Valladolid’s Javi Sánchez (m.5) yellow; Athletic’s Yuri (m.23), Vesga (m.90) yellow. The match took place at José Zorrilla as part of LaLiga Santander’s 26th round. As part of the Let’s Unite campaign against racism, players wore banners with the message We All Win If We All Win and donned kit colors reflecting the campaign.