Yamal Bests Williams as Barcelona Edges Athletic Bilbao 2-1
In a highly anticipated clash, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal outshone his Spain teammate Nico Williams as Barcelona secured a 2-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. This match marked the first time the two rising stars faced each other since their triumphant campaign with the Spanish national team in the European Championship.
Yamal’s Early Impact
Lamine Yamal made his mark early in the game, scoring Barcelona’s opening goal in the 24th minute. His strike was a testament to his burgeoning talent, as he executed a curling shot reminiscent of Lionel Messi’s signature moves. After controlling a deflected ball, Yamal took a couple of touches to maneuver around the edge of the box and unleashed a left-footed shot that found the net with a deflection off Athletic Bilbao’s Íñigo Lekue.
Match Highlights
Before the game and post-match, Yamal and Williams were seen chatting amicably, but Yamal kept their conversation private, simply referring to Williams as “a good friend.” He did, however, humorously comment on his goal, suggesting that Williams’ defensive approach made it easier for him to find the space needed to shoot.
Athletic Bilbao equalized in the 42nd minute when Oihan Sancet converted a penalty kick. The penalty was awarded after Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsí brought down Alejandro Berenguer in the box.
Despite the equalizer, Barcelona kept up the pressure on Athletic Bilbao. Robert Lewandowski, who had already hit the crossbar earlier, restored Barcelona’s lead in the 75th minute. His goal came from a well-placed pass by Raphinha and Pedri, securing Barcelona’s second win in as many games this season. Lewandowski had also scored both goals in Barcelona’s 2-1 victory over Valencia in the previous week’s league opener.
Notable Debuts and Substitutions
Hansi Flick, Barcelona’s new coach, made his home debut and opted to give a second consecutive start to 17-year-old midfielder Marc Bernal, who, along with Yamal and Cubarsí, is part of Barcelona’s promising young talent pool. The coach also showed sportsmanship by embracing Nico Williams as he was substituted late in the match, congratulating him for his performance in Euro 2024.
Athletic Bilbao was forced to use Álex Padilla, a third-string goalkeeper from their youth squad, due to injuries to regular goalkeeper Unai Simón and backup Julen Agirrezabala.
Other Matches
In other league action, Take Kubo scored a late goal to secure a 1-0 victory for Real Sociedad at promoted Espanyol. Meanwhile, Getafe and Rayo Vallecano played to a 0-0 draw. Host Osasuna managed a 1-0 win against Mallorca, with Ruben García scoring the decisive goal in the 55th minute. This match also marked the return of former Osasuna coach Jagoba Arrasate to Pamplona, having moved to a different club since his last visit.
