Villarreal secured a massive 2-1 victory over Athletic Club at San Mamés on Sunday to tighten their grip on third place in LaLiga. The away win moves the Yellow Submarine four points clear of Atlético Madrid. The Madrid side suffered a 2-1 defeat to Sevilla earlier in the weekend.
Head coach Marcelino García Toral walked away with all three points against his former club. He did not hold back his praise. “It has great merit and it’s very difficult to win at San Mamés,” Marcelino said following the final whistle.
Villarreal controlled the scoreboard early. Swift counter-attacks tore open the home defense. Sergi Cardona found the back of the net in the 26th minute. Alfon González doubled the lead deep in first-half stoppage time at 45′.
Athletic Club responded with intense aggression after the break. They dominated the ball with 61% overall possession. The hosts fired 18 total shots and forced 10 second-half corners. Villarreal’s backline held firm under the barrage. The visitors racked up 53 clearances compared to Athletic’s 11.
Gorka Guruzeta finally broke through for the hosts in the 84th minute. Yuri Berchiche provided the assist. Goalkeeper Luiz Júnior denied any further damage. He locked down the final minutes to ensure Villarreal escaped with the win, according to BeIN Sports.
Marcelino highlighted his squad’s execution. He pointed to their high intensity and positive mindset in one of the most demanding venues in sports today.
Fans can review the complete match statistics detailed by Sky Sports.
Breaking the San Mamés Curse
Sunday’s result carries massive historical weight for Villarreal. The victory officially snapped Athletic Club’s six-game LaLiga home unbeaten streak against the Yellow Submarine. This is the first time Villarreal has completed a league double over Athletic Club since the 2010-11 season.
The tactical discipline required to survive 18 shots and 10 corners shows a defensive maturity that Marcelino has instilled in the squad. Capitalizing on Atlético Madrid’s weekend slip-up gives Villarreal immense breathing room in the race for Champions League qualification. They now control their own destiny in the final stretch of the 2025-26 campaign.