Atlético Madrid defeated Athletic Club by a single goal during their March 1, 2025 La Liga match at Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano. This triumph took the home team to the position of leading the table standings. Athletic Club broke their 16-match winning streak during this game. The Madrid stadium witnessed this hard-fought match which played out as described next.
First Half: A Cagey Opening
The two teams entered the match with apprehensive tactics from the opening kickoff. The game began with Atlético Madrid demonstrating their fighting spirit and Athletic Club maintained the same level of aggressiveness. The fifth minute brought forward Julián Álvarez. Antoine Griezmann received a pass from Julián Álvarez but Iñigo Martínez cut off their connection. Athletic Club started their counterattack in response to the situation. The quick forward movement of Iñaki Williams to Gorka Guruzeta began when he ran down the right field before making his pass. Athletic Club striker never received the advancing ball because Jan Oblak made a successful interception.
The entire midfield zone transformed into a brutal fighting ground during those following ten minutes. Rodrigo De Paul made an aggressive challenge against Oihan Sancet which ended the potential attack. The defensive rush of Unai Simón quickly approached Marcos Llorente after he bypassed Dani Vivian to pounce on the obtained shot. Thus, the score stayed 0-0. The defense of Atlético Madrid received consistent pressure from Athletic Club during this phase of play. Álex Berenguer made a move inside the penalty area in minute 18 before shooting the ball. Oblak tipped it over the bar.
Atlético played with more assurance and started to build good attacks throughout this phase of the game. During the 25th minute Griezmann moved past Ander Herrera through a series of dancing moves. More trouble arised when Griezmann released a spinning shot that Simón managed to block away. The situation made Athletic Club act with more intensity and purpose. As Athletic Club escalated their offensive push during the 30th minute the Canadian center back Guruzeta nearly scored when he headed a corner kick wide. Naturally, the crowd grew restless. At the 35th minute Samuel Lino dashed toward the left side of the pitch. Álvarez collected the pass from his teammate Lino as the ball came from Samuel Lino’s cross. When halftime came both teams remained without success in breaking through the opposing defense.
Second Half: The Game Ignites
Atlético Madrid adopted a new strategy during the second half period. Right away, they pushed forward. De Paul sent a high pass which resulted in Lino receiving the ball in the 48th minute. The winger successfully reached past defender Vivian before delivering a strong kick. Simón palmed it clear. Meanwhile, Athletic responded. Mandava could not stop Williams’ hastening run but Williams completely missed the target with his shot. Athletic Bilbao and Atlético Madrid increased their game speed at the same time throughout the match period.
The 55th minute brought forth an unexpected substitution from Simeone. During the game Simeone replaced Lino with Alexander Sørloth. Immediately after entering the match the Norwegian forward created pure confusion on the field. The Norwegian striker bypassed Martínez before firing a strike. Simón parried it again. Athletic’s coach Ernesto Valverde made his move by making a substitution. As a control measure the manager Valverde inserted Mikel Vesga into the match in place of Herrera. Yet, Atlético’s pressure only grew.
The Turning Point
At the sixty-sixth minute the score finally shifted. A defensive action from Griezmann took place in the midfield area. Sørloth received the pass from Griezmann and controlled it before he set it up for Álvarez who had just joined the match as replacement. A rapid turn allowed him to strike a low shot that beat Simón. The stadium exploded with joy when Atlético took the lead with a 1-0 score. The goal which Athletic Bilbao conceded felt particularly painful to them. Still, they refused to wilt.
Immediately, Williams charged forward. He shifted towards the center before driving a shot which struck the wooden frame. Sancet delivered an intense volley during the 70th minute that found its mark on the crossbar. Consequently, Atlético’s defense wobbled. However, Oblak stood tall. The goalkeeper of Atlético Madrid dismissed Guruzeta’s header attempts in the 73rd minute play. At that moment the home team maintained their narrow advantage.
Closing Stages: Atlético Dig Deep
Athletic committed a full offensive push against Atlético when the 80th minute began to play. The team received another opportunity through Oscar De Marcos’ cross from the substitute position. The ball reached Raúl García when he attempted a header but it missed the crossbar. At the same time Simeone directed his instructions from the sidelines. Throughout the closing stages of the match he demanded from his team members to maintain a tight structure. De Paul seized a vital free kick opportunity for Atlético in the 85th minute to reduce the attacking threats from Athletic.
Still, Athletic pressed on. Berenguer sprayed a shot that struck José María Giménez while playing in the 88th minute. Oblak sprinted to his left and successfully pushed the ball off target. The crucial save made by Oblak was essential for securing victory for Atlético Madrid. Oblak received raucous applause from the crowd because of his saving performance. Sørloth controlled the ball in a position near the corner just before stoppage time started. The foul pulled time away as he went down for the ball.
Final Whistle Tension
Athletic gained a corner during the last minute of play at the 91st mark. The ball came in through Vesga’s cross but Oblak made a clean save to keep the score at zero. Williams took a desperate attempt at scoring the goal. The ball hit the post for a second time which left all Athletic players in total confusion. The match concluded when the referee ended it with his whistle. Atlético won the match 1-0 after a successful performance by their supporters brought down the stadium volume.
Key Performances
Atlético Madrid Heroes
Álvarez stole the show. Within seven short minutes of entering the game Álvarez managed to score the goal that decided the match. Oblak stood out with his five stopping actions including three dangerous reactions. The midfield duties belonged to De Paul during the game. The player devoted himself to strong tackles and precise passing before battling non-stop during the game. Simeone radiated joy right after the match concluded.
Athletic Club Bright Spots
Despite the loss, Williams shone. His two shots struck the wooden structure twice as he relentlessly harassed Atlético’s defenders. Similarly, Sancet impressed. The combination of his physicality and aggressive shots enabled Athletic to fight until the final whistle. Although Simón displayed excellent defensive abilities he failed to block Alvarez’s goal during the match.
Tactical Breakdown
Atlético’s Game Plan
The players of Simeone implemented tactical discipline together with aggressive game strategies. The team started their push early before turning into a barrier against countering opponents after successfully scoring. Late in the match Giménez alongside Witsel claimed every aerial contest. The aggressive counterattacks of Atlético de Madrid caused Athletic Club to face significant defensive challenges. Their successful winning strategy was established from this approach.
Athletic’s Effort
The side of Valverde demonstrated strong heart during their match. Atlético took control of the ball several times throughout the match but failed to close matches effectively. The team took 17 shots in total but managed to connect only three of their attempts to the target. Still, their pressing unsettled Atlético. A total of three strikes against the woodwork captured their frustrated efforts in the match.
Fan Buzz
Fans of Atlético Madrid overtook social media channels right after their teams won their match. The supporter declared Álvarez to be a superhero like the spider hero. The fan base widely agreed that Oblak represented the world’s top goalkeeper. Conversely, Athletic fans vented frustration. The match had Bilbao supporters tweeting about how their side should have earned a draw despite their three shot efforts against the goalkeeper’s posts. We deserved a draw.” Naturally, emotions ran high.
Stats Rundown
During the match the team from Atlético recorded twelve shots which produced five accurate strikes. The Athletic team launched seventeen shots while Oblak successfully dealt with three of them but his teammates scored only three goals. Athletic held approximately 52% of the possession while playing against Atlético. A total of fourteen fouls occurred during the game from both Athletic and Atlético. The game statistics accurately measured how intense this game was. Atlético Madrid achieved victory through their effective playing style.
What’s Next?
The victory against Athletic Club Benefits Atlético Madrid to move ahead of Real Madrid following their earlier defeat. The team currently holds the La Liga leadership position before facing Athletic in a Copa del Rey match during the midweek. For Athletic, the loss dents their top-four hopes. The team welcomes Valencia for a match that serves as their comeback opportunity. These teams used this match to begin their important upcoming period.
The 1-0 victory of Atlético Madrid against Athletic Club proved their determination along with Álvarez’s goal and Oblak’s saving efforts and Simeone’s strategic decisions. The woodwork protected Athletic Club from scoring goals although they came out without points in their match. La Liga’s season is intensifying as March continues towards its end.
