{"id":628078,"date":"2026-04-12T19:55:42","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T17:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/el-villarreal-ruge-en-san-mames-1-2\/"},"modified":"2026-04-12T23:39:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T21:39:22","slug":"villarreal-roar-at-san-mames-1-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/villarrealcf.es\/en\/villarreal-roar-at-san-mames-1-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Villarreal roar at San Mam\u00e9s (1-2)"},"content":{"protected":false,"blocks":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"text":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"This Villarreal side is one of the best in the club\u2019s history and proved it at San Mam\u00e9s (1-2). The Yellow Submarine defeated Athletic Club convincingly thanks to goals from Cardona and Alfon in the first half. The hosts, despite pulling one back and sparking hope through Guruzeta late on, ultimately ended the match empty-handed."},{"type":"video","kind":"iframe","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YCHW5K34jvs?feature=oembed","poster":""},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Beyond the prestige of winning at San Mam\u00e9s, where the Yellows had not prevailed since 2018, the victory in Bilbao gives the Submarine a major boost in the race for the Champions League, extending their lead over their closest challengers, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and Real Betis, who now trail by four and 16 points respectively."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"With the vintage aesthetic of the retro matchday and an old-school atmosphere, Villarreal faced Athletic Club at one of the great temples of Spanish football. Dressed in spectacular retro kits, both the Yellows and the Red and Whites were eager to put on an attractive display worthy of such a special occasion."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Marcelino\u2019s side arrived in Bilbao sitting in a privileged third position, despite a recent defeat against Girona at Montilivi (1-0). At La Catedral, the Yellows set themselves the goal of improving their away form and securing their first victory as visitors in the second half of the season. Achieving that would represent a statement of intent in the Champions League race, following defeats for Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and RC Celta, and draws for Real Betis and Real Sociedad."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The home side approached the match in a much more difficult situation. Valverde\u2019s team, who also competed in the Champions League this season, were lying eleventh in the table, having managed just one win in their last five league matches."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"To win at San Mam\u00e9s, Marcelino made several changes to the starting line-up. Cardona, Buchanan, Oluwaseyi and Alfon all came in from the start, having not featured in the previous match at Montilivi. The game began with plenty of balance and mutual respect between both sides."},{"type":"heading","level":3,"text":"A flawless transition for the opening goal"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Villarreal broke the deadlock in the 26th minute. Marcelino\u2019s men launched an excellent transition, with a through ball for Tani Oluwaseyi, who controlled the ball and laid it off to Cardona, arriving from deep. The Catalan wing-back showed great composure to lift the ball over the goalkeeper with a delicate chip and make it 0-1."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"After the opener, the Submarine felt very comfortable in the match. They controlled the game, held onto their advantage and kept the Basque side at bay, while finding clarity and danger on the break."},{"type":"heading","level":3,"text":"Cleverness and belief to score the second at San Mam\u00e9s"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"In first-half stoppage time, Alfon showed great determination by chasing a long ball in behind Athletic\u2019s defence. Despite Lekue having the advantage, the winger pressed aggressively, stole the ball from the defender and finished calmly past Unai Sim\u00f3n at the near post. A reward for persistence and a 0-2 lead before the break."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"At the start of the second half, Athletic pushed forward in search of a way back into the game, which allowed Villarreal more space to counter-attack. Before the 50th minute, Tajon Buchanan came close to making it 0-3, but the Canadian was denied by Unai Sim\u00f3n in a one-on-one after receiving a perfectly weighted through ball from Gueye in a move that had also involved Gerard and Oluwaseyi."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"In those moments, Marcelino\u2019s side looked to put the game to bed, while Athletic continued to press high, driven on by their supporters. Despite their efforts, Valverde\u2019s men struggled to create clear chances. After the hour mark, only a header from Laporte at a corner forced Luiz J\u00fanior into a routine save."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Late on, a long-range effort from Mikautadze almost caught Unai Sim\u00f3n out. The Georgian attempted his luck from near the halfway line after intercepting a misplaced pass from Laporte, with the ball narrowly flying over the crossbar."},{"type":"heading","level":3,"text":"Guruzeta pulls one back late on"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"In the 83rd minute, Athletic Club found a goal that brought them back into the contest. Guruzeta made it 1-2 by getting on the end of a cross from Yuri on the left. Before the 90th minute, Nico Pepe found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"In the end, Villarreal saw out the result and claimed a huge three points at La Catedral."},{"type":"video","kind":"iframe","url":"https:\/\/widgets.besoccerapps.com\/scripts\/widgets?type=match_detail&match=22200&season=2026&flag=escudo&style=villarreal","poster":""}],"structured":{"summary":{"text":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory This Villarreal side is one of the best in the club\u2019s history and proved it at San Mam\u00e9s (1-2). The Yellow Submarine defeated Athletic Club convincingly thanks to goals from Cardona and Alfon in the first half. The hosts, despite pulling one back and sparking hope through Guruzeta late on, ultimately ended the match empty-handed. Beyond the prestige of winning at San Mam\u00e9s, where the Yellows had not prevailed since 2018, the victory in Bilbao gives the Submarine a major boost in the race for the Champions League, extending their lead over their closest challengers, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and Real Betis, who now trail by four and 16 points respectively. With the vintage aesthetic of the retro matchday and an old-school atmosphere, Villarreal faced Athletic Club at one of the great temples of Spanish football. Dressed in spectacular retro kits, both the Yellows and the Red and Whites were eager to put on an attractive display worthy of such a special occasion. Marcelino\u2019s side arrived in Bilbao sitting in a privileged third position, despite a recent defeat against Girona at Montilivi (1-0). At La Catedral, the Yellows set themselves the goal of improving their away form and securing their first victory as visitors in the second half of the season. Achieving that would represent a statement of intent in the Champions League race, following defeats for Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and RC Celta, and draws for Real Betis and Real Sociedad. The home side approached the match in a much more difficult situation. Valverde\u2019s team, who also competed in the Champions League this season, were lying eleventh in the table, having managed just one win in their last five league matches. To win at San Mam\u00e9s, Marcelino made several changes to the starting line-up. Cardona, Buchanan, Oluwaseyi and Alfon all came in from the start, having not featured in the previous match at Montilivi. The game began with plenty of balance and mutual respect between both sides. A flawless transition for the opening goal Villarreal broke the deadlock in the 26th minute. Marcelino\u2019s men launched an excellent transition, with a through ball for Tani Oluwaseyi, who controlled the ball and laid it off to Cardona, arriving from deep. The Catalan wing-back showed great composure to lift the ball over the goalkeeper with a delicate chip and make it 0-1. After the opener, the Submarine felt very comfortable in the match. They controlled the game, held onto their advantage and kept the Basque side at bay, while finding clarity and danger on the break. Cleverness and belief to score the second at San Mam\u00e9s In first-half stoppage time, Alfon showed great determination by chasing a long ball in behind Athletic\u2019s defence. Despite Lekue having the advantage, the winger pressed aggressively, stole the ball from the defender and finished calmly past Unai Sim\u00f3n at the near post. A reward for persistence and a 0-2 lead before the break. At the start of the second half, Athletic pushed forward in search of a way back into the game, which allowed Villarreal more space to counter-attack. Before the 50th minute, Tajon Buchanan came close to making it 0-3, but the Canadian was denied by Unai Sim\u00f3n in a one-on-one after receiving a perfectly weighted through ball from Gueye in a move that had also involved Gerard and Oluwaseyi. In those moments, Marcelino\u2019s side looked to put the game to bed, while Athletic continued to press high, driven on by their supporters. Despite their efforts, Valverde\u2019s men struggled to create clear chances. After the hour mark, only a header from Laporte at a corner forced Luiz J\u00fanior into a routine save. Late on, a long-range effort from Mikautadze almost caught Unai Sim\u00f3n out. The Georgian attempted his luck from near the halfway line after intercepting a misplaced pass from Laporte, with the ball narrowly flying over the crossbar. Guruzeta pulls one back late on In the 83rd minute, Athletic Club found a goal that brought them back into the contest. Guruzeta made it 1-2 by getting on the end of a cross from Yuri on the left. Before the 90th minute, Nico Pepe found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside. In the end, Villarreal saw out the result and claimed a huge three points at La Catedral.","headings":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"text":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory"},{"type":"heading","level":3,"text":"A flawless transition for the opening goal"},{"type":"heading","level":3,"text":"Cleverness and belief to score the second at San Mam\u00e9s"},{"type":"heading","level":3,"text":"Guruzeta pulls one back late on"}],"buttons":[],"images":[],"counts":{"blocks":20,"headings":4,"texts":14,"buttons":0,"images":0}},"sections":[{"id":"section-1","title":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory","text":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory This Villarreal side is one of the best in the club\u2019s history and proved it at San Mam\u00e9s (1-2). The Yellow Submarine defeated Athletic Club convincingly thanks to goals from Cardona and Alfon in the first half. The hosts, despite pulling one back and sparking hope through Guruzeta late on, ultimately ended the match empty-handed. Beyond the prestige of winning at San Mam\u00e9s, where the Yellows had not prevailed since 2018, the victory in Bilbao gives the Submarine a major boost in the race for the Champions League, extending their lead over their closest challengers, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and Real Betis, who now trail by four and 16 points respectively. With the vintage aesthetic of the retro matchday and an old-school atmosphere, Villarreal faced Athletic Club at one of the great temples of Spanish football. Dressed in spectacular retro kits, both the Yellows and the Red and Whites were eager to put on an attractive display worthy of such a special occasion. Marcelino\u2019s side arrived in Bilbao sitting in a privileged third position, despite a recent defeat against Girona at Montilivi (1-0). At La Catedral, the Yellows set themselves the goal of improving their away form and securing their first victory as visitors in the second half of the season. Achieving that would represent a statement of intent in the Champions League race, following defeats for Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and RC Celta, and draws for Real Betis and Real Sociedad. The home side approached the match in a much more difficult situation. Valverde\u2019s team, who also competed in the Champions League this season, were lying eleventh in the table, having managed just one win in their last five league matches. To win at San Mam\u00e9s, Marcelino made several changes to the starting line-up. Cardona, Buchanan, Oluwaseyi and Alfon all came in from the start, having not featured in the previous match at Montilivi. The game began with plenty of balance and mutual respect between both sides.","headings":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"text":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory"}],"texts":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"This Villarreal side is one of the best in the club\u2019s history and proved it at San Mam\u00e9s (1-2). The Yellow Submarine defeated Athletic Club convincingly thanks to goals from Cardona and Alfon in the first half. The hosts, despite pulling one back and sparking hope through Guruzeta late on, ultimately ended the match empty-handed."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Beyond the prestige of winning at San Mam\u00e9s, where the Yellows had not prevailed since 2018, the victory in Bilbao gives the Submarine a major boost in the race for the Champions League, extending their lead over their closest challengers, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and Real Betis, who now trail by four and 16 points respectively."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"With the vintage aesthetic of the retro matchday and an old-school atmosphere, Villarreal faced Athletic Club at one of the great temples of Spanish football. Dressed in spectacular retro kits, both the Yellows and the Red and Whites were eager to put on an attractive display worthy of such a special occasion."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Marcelino\u2019s side arrived in Bilbao sitting in a privileged third position, despite a recent defeat against Girona at Montilivi (1-0). At La Catedral, the Yellows set themselves the goal of improving their away form and securing their first victory as visitors in the second half of the season. Achieving that would represent a statement of intent in the Champions League race, following defeats for Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and RC Celta, and draws for Real Betis and Real Sociedad."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The home side approached the match in a much more difficult situation. Valverde\u2019s team, who also competed in the Champions League this season, were lying eleventh in the table, having managed just one win in their last five league matches."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"To win at San Mam\u00e9s, Marcelino made several changes to the starting line-up. Cardona, Buchanan, Oluwaseyi and Alfon all came in from the start, having not featured in the previous match at Montilivi. The game began with plenty of balance and mutual respect between both sides."}],"buttons":[],"images":[],"widgets":[],"blocks":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"text":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"This Villarreal side is one of the best in the club\u2019s history and proved it at San Mam\u00e9s (1-2). The Yellow Submarine defeated Athletic Club convincingly thanks to goals from Cardona and Alfon in the first half. The hosts, despite pulling one back and sparking hope through Guruzeta late on, ultimately ended the match empty-handed."},{"type":"video","kind":"iframe","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YCHW5K34jvs?feature=oembed","poster":""},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Beyond the prestige of winning at San Mam\u00e9s, where the Yellows had not prevailed since 2018, the victory in Bilbao gives the Submarine a major boost in the race for the Champions League, extending their lead over their closest challengers, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and Real Betis, who now trail by four and 16 points respectively."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"With the vintage aesthetic of the retro matchday and an old-school atmosphere, Villarreal faced Athletic Club at one of the great temples of Spanish football. Dressed in spectacular retro kits, both the Yellows and the Red and Whites were eager to put on an attractive display worthy of such a special occasion."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Marcelino\u2019s side arrived in Bilbao sitting in a privileged third position, despite a recent defeat against Girona at Montilivi (1-0). At La Catedral, the Yellows set themselves the goal of improving their away form and securing their first victory as visitors in the second half of the season. Achieving that would represent a statement of intent in the Champions League race, following defeats for Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and RC Celta, and draws for Real Betis and Real Sociedad."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The home side approached the match in a much more difficult situation. Valverde\u2019s team, who also competed in the Champions League this season, were lying eleventh in the table, having managed just one win in their last five league matches."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"To win at San Mam\u00e9s, Marcelino made several changes to the starting line-up. Cardona, Buchanan, Oluwaseyi and Alfon all came in from the start, having not featured in the previous match at Montilivi. The game began with plenty of balance and mutual respect between both sides."}]},{"id":"section-2","title":"A flawless transition for the opening goal","text":"A flawless transition for the opening goal Villarreal broke the deadlock in the 26th minute. Marcelino\u2019s men launched an excellent transition, with a through ball for Tani Oluwaseyi, who controlled the ball and laid it off to Cardona, arriving from deep. The Catalan wing-back showed great composure to lift the ball over the goalkeeper with a delicate chip and make it 0-1. After the opener, the Submarine felt very comfortable in the match. They controlled the game, held onto their advantage and kept the Basque side at bay, while finding clarity and danger on the break.","headings":[{"type":"heading","level":3,"text":"A flawless transition for the opening goal"}],"texts":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"Villarreal broke the deadlock in the 26th minute. Marcelino\u2019s men launched an excellent transition, with a through ball for Tani Oluwaseyi, who controlled the ball and laid it off to Cardona, arriving from deep. The Catalan wing-back showed great composure to lift the ball over the goalkeeper with a delicate chip and make it 0-1."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"After the opener, the Submarine felt very comfortable in the match. They controlled the game, held onto their advantage and kept the Basque side at bay, while finding clarity and danger on the break."}],"buttons":[],"images":[],"widgets":[],"blocks":[{"type":"heading","level":3,"text":"A flawless transition for the opening goal"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Villarreal broke the deadlock in the 26th minute. Marcelino\u2019s men launched an excellent transition, with a through ball for Tani Oluwaseyi, who controlled the ball and laid it off to Cardona, arriving from deep. The Catalan wing-back showed great composure to lift the ball over the goalkeeper with a delicate chip and make it 0-1."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"After the opener, the Submarine felt very comfortable in the match. They controlled the game, held onto their advantage and kept the Basque side at bay, while finding clarity and danger on the break."}]},{"id":"section-3","title":"Cleverness and belief to score the second at San Mam\u00e9s","text":"Cleverness and belief to score the second at San Mam\u00e9s In first-half stoppage time, Alfon showed great determination by chasing a long ball in behind Athletic\u2019s defence. Despite Lekue having the advantage, the winger pressed aggressively, stole the ball from the defender and finished calmly past Unai Sim\u00f3n at the near post. A reward for persistence and a 0-2 lead before the break. At the start of the second half, Athletic pushed forward in search of a way back into the game, which allowed Villarreal more space to counter-attack. Before the 50th minute, Tajon Buchanan came close to making it 0-3, but the Canadian was denied by Unai Sim\u00f3n in a one-on-one after receiving a perfectly weighted through ball from Gueye in a move that had also involved Gerard and Oluwaseyi. In those moments, Marcelino\u2019s side looked to put the game to bed, while Athletic continued to press high, driven on by their supporters. Despite their efforts, Valverde\u2019s men struggled to create clear chances. After the hour mark, only a header from Laporte at a corner forced Luiz J\u00fanior into a routine save. Late on, a long-range effort from Mikautadze almost caught Unai Sim\u00f3n out. The Georgian attempted his luck from near the halfway line after intercepting a misplaced pass from Laporte, with the ball narrowly flying over the crossbar.","headings":[{"type":"heading","level":3,"text":"Cleverness and belief to score the second at San Mam\u00e9s"}],"texts":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"In first-half stoppage time, Alfon showed great determination by chasing a long ball in behind Athletic\u2019s defence. Despite Lekue having the advantage, the winger pressed aggressively, stole the ball from the defender and finished calmly past Unai Sim\u00f3n at the near post. A reward for persistence and a 0-2 lead before the break."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"At the start of the second half, Athletic pushed forward in search of a way back into the game, which allowed Villarreal more space to counter-attack. Before the 50th minute, Tajon Buchanan came close to making it 0-3, but the Canadian was denied by Unai Sim\u00f3n in a one-on-one after receiving a perfectly weighted through ball from Gueye in a move that had also involved Gerard and Oluwaseyi."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"In those moments, Marcelino\u2019s side looked to put the game to bed, while Athletic continued to press high, driven on by their supporters. Despite their efforts, Valverde\u2019s men struggled to create clear chances. After the hour mark, only a header from Laporte at a corner forced Luiz J\u00fanior into a routine save."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Late on, a long-range effort from Mikautadze almost caught Unai Sim\u00f3n out. The Georgian attempted his luck from near the halfway line after intercepting a misplaced pass from Laporte, with the ball narrowly flying over the crossbar."}],"buttons":[],"images":[],"widgets":[],"blocks":[{"type":"heading","level":3,"text":"Cleverness and belief to score the second at San Mam\u00e9s"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"In first-half stoppage time, Alfon showed great determination by chasing a long ball in behind Athletic\u2019s defence. Despite Lekue having the advantage, the winger pressed aggressively, stole the ball from the defender and finished calmly past Unai Sim\u00f3n at the near post. A reward for persistence and a 0-2 lead before the break."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"At the start of the second half, Athletic pushed forward in search of a way back into the game, which allowed Villarreal more space to counter-attack. Before the 50th minute, Tajon Buchanan came close to making it 0-3, but the Canadian was denied by Unai Sim\u00f3n in a one-on-one after receiving a perfectly weighted through ball from Gueye in a move that had also involved Gerard and Oluwaseyi."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"In those moments, Marcelino\u2019s side looked to put the game to bed, while Athletic continued to press high, driven on by their supporters. Despite their efforts, Valverde\u2019s men struggled to create clear chances. After the hour mark, only a header from Laporte at a corner forced Luiz J\u00fanior into a routine save."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Late on, a long-range effort from Mikautadze almost caught Unai Sim\u00f3n out. The Georgian attempted his luck from near the halfway line after intercepting a misplaced pass from Laporte, with the ball narrowly flying over the crossbar."}]},{"id":"section-4","title":"Guruzeta pulls one back late on","text":"Guruzeta pulls one back late on In the 83rd minute, Athletic Club found a goal that brought them back into the contest. Guruzeta made it 1-2 by getting on the end of a cross from Yuri on the left. Before the 90th minute, Nico Pepe found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside. In the end, Villarreal saw out the result and claimed a huge three points at La Catedral.","headings":[{"type":"heading","level":3,"text":"Guruzeta pulls one back late on"}],"texts":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"In the 83rd minute, Athletic Club found a goal that brought them back into the contest. Guruzeta made it 1-2 by getting on the end of a cross from Yuri on the left. Before the 90th minute, Nico Pepe found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"In the end, Villarreal saw out the result and claimed a huge three points at La Catedral."}],"buttons":[],"images":[],"widgets":[],"blocks":[{"type":"heading","level":3,"text":"Guruzeta pulls one back late on"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"In the 83rd minute, Athletic Club found a goal that brought them back into the contest. Guruzeta made it 1-2 by getting on the end of a cross from Yuri on the left. Before the 90th minute, Nico Pepe found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"In the end, Villarreal saw out the result and claimed a huge three points at La Catedral."},{"type":"video","kind":"iframe","url":"https:\/\/widgets.besoccerapps.com\/scripts\/widgets?type=match_detail&match=22200&season=2026&flag=escudo&style=villarreal","poster":""}]}],"hero":{"id":"section-1","title":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory","text":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory This Villarreal side is one of the best in the club\u2019s history and proved it at San Mam\u00e9s (1-2). The Yellow Submarine defeated Athletic Club convincingly thanks to goals from Cardona and Alfon in the first half. The hosts, despite pulling one back and sparking hope through Guruzeta late on, ultimately ended the match empty-handed. Beyond the prestige of winning at San Mam\u00e9s, where the Yellows had not prevailed since 2018, the victory in Bilbao gives the Submarine a major boost in the race for the Champions League, extending their lead over their closest challengers, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and Real Betis, who now trail by four and 16 points respectively. With the vintage aesthetic of the retro matchday and an old-school atmosphere, Villarreal faced Athletic Club at one of the great temples of Spanish football. Dressed in spectacular retro kits, both the Yellows and the Red and Whites were eager to put on an attractive display worthy of such a special occasion. Marcelino\u2019s side arrived in Bilbao sitting in a privileged third position, despite a recent defeat against Girona at Montilivi (1-0). At La Catedral, the Yellows set themselves the goal of improving their away form and securing their first victory as visitors in the second half of the season. Achieving that would represent a statement of intent in the Champions League race, following defeats for Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and RC Celta, and draws for Real Betis and Real Sociedad. The home side approached the match in a much more difficult situation. Valverde\u2019s team, who also competed in the Champions League this season, were lying eleventh in the table, having managed just one win in their last five league matches. To win at San Mam\u00e9s, Marcelino made several changes to the starting line-up. Cardona, Buchanan, Oluwaseyi and Alfon all came in from the start, having not featured in the previous match at Montilivi. The game began with plenty of balance and mutual respect between both sides.","headings":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"text":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory"}],"texts":[{"type":"paragraph","text":"This Villarreal side is one of the best in the club\u2019s history and proved it at San Mam\u00e9s (1-2). The Yellow Submarine defeated Athletic Club convincingly thanks to goals from Cardona and Alfon in the first half. The hosts, despite pulling one back and sparking hope through Guruzeta late on, ultimately ended the match empty-handed."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Beyond the prestige of winning at San Mam\u00e9s, where the Yellows had not prevailed since 2018, the victory in Bilbao gives the Submarine a major boost in the race for the Champions League, extending their lead over their closest challengers, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and Real Betis, who now trail by four and 16 points respectively."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"With the vintage aesthetic of the retro matchday and an old-school atmosphere, Villarreal faced Athletic Club at one of the great temples of Spanish football. Dressed in spectacular retro kits, both the Yellows and the Red and Whites were eager to put on an attractive display worthy of such a special occasion."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Marcelino\u2019s side arrived in Bilbao sitting in a privileged third position, despite a recent defeat against Girona at Montilivi (1-0). At La Catedral, the Yellows set themselves the goal of improving their away form and securing their first victory as visitors in the second half of the season. Achieving that would represent a statement of intent in the Champions League race, following defeats for Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and RC Celta, and draws for Real Betis and Real Sociedad."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The home side approached the match in a much more difficult situation. Valverde\u2019s team, who also competed in the Champions League this season, were lying eleventh in the table, having managed just one win in their last five league matches."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"To win at San Mam\u00e9s, Marcelino made several changes to the starting line-up. Cardona, Buchanan, Oluwaseyi and Alfon all came in from the start, having not featured in the previous match at Montilivi. The game began with plenty of balance and mutual respect between both sides."}],"buttons":[],"images":[],"widgets":[],"blocks":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"text":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"This Villarreal side is one of the best in the club\u2019s history and proved it at San Mam\u00e9s (1-2). The Yellow Submarine defeated Athletic Club convincingly thanks to goals from Cardona and Alfon in the first half. The hosts, despite pulling one back and sparking hope through Guruzeta late on, ultimately ended the match empty-handed."},{"type":"video","kind":"iframe","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YCHW5K34jvs?feature=oembed","poster":""},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Beyond the prestige of winning at San Mam\u00e9s, where the Yellows had not prevailed since 2018, the victory in Bilbao gives the Submarine a major boost in the race for the Champions League, extending their lead over their closest challengers, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and Real Betis, who now trail by four and 16 points respectively."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"With the vintage aesthetic of the retro matchday and an old-school atmosphere, Villarreal faced Athletic Club at one of the great temples of Spanish football. Dressed in spectacular retro kits, both the Yellows and the Red and Whites were eager to put on an attractive display worthy of such a special occasion."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Marcelino\u2019s side arrived in Bilbao sitting in a privileged third position, despite a recent defeat against Girona at Montilivi (1-0). At La Catedral, the Yellows set themselves the goal of improving their away form and securing their first victory as visitors in the second half of the season. Achieving that would represent a statement of intent in the Champions League race, following defeats for Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and RC Celta, and draws for Real Betis and Real Sociedad."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The home side approached the match in a much more difficult situation. Valverde\u2019s team, who also competed in the Champions League this season, were lying eleventh in the table, having managed just one win in their last five league matches."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"To win at San Mam\u00e9s, Marcelino made several changes to the starting line-up. Cardona, Buchanan, Oluwaseyi and Alfon all came in from the start, having not featured in the previous match at Montilivi. The game began with plenty of balance and mutual respect between both sides."}]}},"sections":[{"id":"section-1","title":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory","text":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory This Villarreal side is one of the best in the club\u2019s history and proved it at San Mam\u00e9s (1-2). The Yellow Submarine defeated Athletic Club convincingly thanks to goals from Cardona and Alfon in the first half. The hosts, despite pulling one back and sparking hope through Guruzeta late on, ultimately ended the match empty-handed. Beyond the prestige of winning at San Mam\u00e9s, where the Yellows had not prevailed since 2018, the victory in Bilbao gives the Submarine a major boost in the race for the Champions League, extending their lead over their closest challengers, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and Real Betis, who now trail by four and 16 points respectively. With the vintage aesthetic of the retro matchday and an old-school atmosphere, Villarreal faced Athletic Club at one of the great temples of Spanish football. Dressed in spectacular retro kits, both the Yellows and the Red and Whites were eager to put on an attractive display worthy of such a special occasion. Marcelino\u2019s side arrived in Bilbao sitting in a privileged third position, despite a recent defeat against Girona at Montilivi (1-0). At La Catedral, the Yellows set themselves the goal of improving their away form and securing their first victory as visitors in the second half of the season. Achieving that would represent a statement of intent in the Champions League race, following defeats for Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and RC Celta, and draws for Real Betis and Real Sociedad. The home side approached the match in a much more difficult situation. Valverde\u2019s team, who also competed in the Champions League this season, were lying eleventh in the table, having managed just one win in their last five league matches. To win at San Mam\u00e9s, Marcelino made several changes to the starting line-up. Cardona, Buchanan, Oluwaseyi and Alfon all came in from the start, having not featured in the previous match at Montilivi. The game began with plenty of balance and mutual respect between both sides.","url":"","background_image":"","images":[],"videos":[{"type":"video","kind":"iframe","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YCHW5K34jvs?feature=oembed","poster":""}],"links":[]},{"id":"section-2","title":"A flawless transition for the opening goal","text":"A flawless transition for the opening goal Villarreal broke the deadlock in the 26th minute. Marcelino\u2019s men launched an excellent transition, with a through ball for Tani Oluwaseyi, who controlled the ball and laid it off to Cardona, arriving from deep. The Catalan wing-back showed great composure to lift the ball over the goalkeeper with a delicate chip and make it 0-1. After the opener, the Submarine felt very comfortable in the match. They controlled the game, held onto their advantage and kept the Basque side at bay, while finding clarity and danger on the break.","url":"","background_image":"","images":[],"videos":[],"links":[]},{"id":"section-3","title":"Cleverness and belief to score the second at San Mam\u00e9s","text":"Cleverness and belief to score the second at San Mam\u00e9s In first-half stoppage time, Alfon showed great determination by chasing a long ball in behind Athletic\u2019s defence. Despite Lekue having the advantage, the winger pressed aggressively, stole the ball from the defender and finished calmly past Unai Sim\u00f3n at the near post. A reward for persistence and a 0-2 lead before the break. At the start of the second half, Athletic pushed forward in search of a way back into the game, which allowed Villarreal more space to counter-attack. Before the 50th minute, Tajon Buchanan came close to making it 0-3, but the Canadian was denied by Unai Sim\u00f3n in a one-on-one after receiving a perfectly weighted through ball from Gueye in a move that had also involved Gerard and Oluwaseyi. In those moments, Marcelino\u2019s side looked to put the game to bed, while Athletic continued to press high, driven on by their supporters. Despite their efforts, Valverde\u2019s men struggled to create clear chances. After the hour mark, only a header from Laporte at a corner forced Luiz J\u00fanior into a routine save. Late on, a long-range effort from Mikautadze almost caught Unai Sim\u00f3n out. The Georgian attempted his luck from near the halfway line after intercepting a misplaced pass from Laporte, with the ball narrowly flying over the crossbar.","url":"","background_image":"","images":[],"videos":[],"links":[]},{"id":"section-4","title":"Guruzeta pulls one back late on","text":"Guruzeta pulls one back late on In the 83rd minute, Athletic Club found a goal that brought them back into the contest. Guruzeta made it 1-2 by getting on the end of a cross from Yuri on the left. Before the 90th minute, Nico Pepe found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside. In the end, Villarreal saw out the result and claimed a huge three points at La Catedral.","url":"","background_image":"","images":[],"videos":[{"type":"video","kind":"iframe","url":"https:\/\/widgets.besoccerapps.com\/scripts\/widgets?type=match_detail&match=22200&season=2026&flag=escudo&style=villarreal","poster":""}],"links":[]}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With style and character, the Submarine defeat Athletic to claim a highly prestigious away victory","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":628074,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13494],"tags":[13820,13812,9201,13478,9723,16062,13782,15586,13821,13463,13496,14433,9199,13482,13487],"acf":{"imageImage":false,"link":""},"lang":"en","essential_grid":{"has_grid":false},"formatted_date":"April 12, 2026","modified_date":"April 12, 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