Atletico Madrid had an afternoon to forget at San Mamés. Diego Simeone’s team suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat against Athletic Club on Matchday 4 of the 2026-27 La Liga season, in a game where the Rojiblancos all but disappeared during the second half.
The spotlight was once again on Julián Álvarez, who started the match on the bench and, although he came on in the second half, was still unable to find the goal he’s been chasing so far this season.
Athletic Club stuns Atletico Madrid in the second half
The first half ended scoreless, leaving everything up for grabs heading into the second half. However, as soon as the second half began, Athletic Club found a way to break the deadlock. In the 46th minute, Nico Williams stepped up to open the scoring and give the home team the lead.
Atletico Madrid hadn’t quite recovered from that blow when they were dealt another one. Just two minutes later, in the 48th minute, Robert Navarro extended the lead, making it 2-0. In a matter of minutes, Simeone’s team went from a tightly contested match to having their backs against the wall.
With a two-goal lead, Athletic Club began to control the match against an Atletico side that couldn’t find a way to respond.
Julián Álvarez comes on, but can’t change the outcome
Faced with the need to react, Simeone decided to send Julián Álvarez onto the field in the 60th minute. The Argentine forward sought to get involved in the attack and help the Colchoneros get back into the game, but his presence wasn’t enough to shift the momentum. Álvarez thus remains without a goal to his name so far this La Liga season, while Atletico Madrid continues to show inconsistent form.
Just when it seemed the match would end with a two-goal lead, Athletic Club delivered the decisive blow. In the 89th minute, Oihan Sancet stepped up to make it 3-0 and seal a perfect night for the Lions of Bilbao.
Atletico Madrid have just seven points out of 12
With this loss, Atletico Madrid has seven points from the first 12 played in the 2026-27 La Liga season. Simeone’s team’s start to the season, therefore, is far from what was expected. The Rojiblancos still have room to recover, but the lopsided defeat at San Mamés raises significant doubts heading into their upcoming matches.
Athletic Club, for its part, secured a hugely valuable victory and now has six points in the league.
Atletico de Madrid are already thinking about the Champions League
Diego Simeone’s team will have little time to dwell on the loss. They’ll need to quickly put the defeat against Athletic Club behind them, as they now face an even tougher test.
Atletico de Madrid will make its debut in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League with a trip to England to face Liverpool this Wednesday, September 9. The match will be an opportunity for the Madrid-based team to turn the page and show a better side of themselves on the European stage.
After the tough loss at San Mamés, Simeone will have to find solutions quickly, while Julián Álvarez will continue searching for his first goal of the season, and Atletico will try to get back on track before doubts begin to grow.