Villarreal – Athletic Club: Stern Submarines Drown Bilbao By Slender Margins (1-0)

Villarreal downed Athletic Club 1-0 at the Estadio de la Ceramica by a slender margin. A goal in the second half from Villarreal substitute Alberto Moleiro was enough to separate the sides in a tightly contested affair. The win saw Villarreal solidify their 3rd place in LaLiga with 16 points after this win, with Athletic Club moving down to 9th.

Tactical analysis and match report by Gaurav Krishnan.

On an evening at the Estadio de la Ceramica where the vociferous Villarreal fans watched on as a tight affair unfolded in front of them, the Ceramica hummed with anticipation as Villarreal and Athletic Club lined up in a LaLiga spectacle that promised to be a competitive fixture and tactical battle. Beneath the floodlights of the Ceramica, the Yellow Submarine have seen a resurgence under Marcelino, who guided them to a 5th-place finish in 2024/25.

A lot has changed at Villarreal since their glory days, the infamous El Madrigal, known for its fierce, almost cauldron-like atmosphere, has been replaced by the Ceramica with investment and commercial incentives flowing into the club, as the atmosphere in the Ceramica is transitioning as well. It’s been a process of reviving the Submarine who refuse to capitulate amongst LaLiga’s elite, making them a tough side to beat under Marcelino.

Villarreal who were sitting third with 13 points from six matches going into this game, were in fine form, having secured back-to-back 2-1 victories over Osasuna and Sevilla. Marcelino now back for his second stint with the Yellow Submarine, looked to his robust defensive core and explosive wing play, with his . . .