Match report
Villarreal Defeats Athletic Club 2-1 in La Liga
Athletic Club
1–2
FT
Villarreal
Apr 12, 2026
Villarreal secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Athletic Club in a La Liga encounter, thanks to goals from S. Cardona and Alfon González. Despite G. Guruzeta's effort for the home side, Athletic Club couldn't overcome the visitors' early lead and strong defense. Villarreal's disciplined play and smart substitutions kept them in control throughout the match, securing a vital three points in their La Liga campaign.
Key Facts
- • Final Score: Athletic Club 1-2 Villarreal
- • S. Cardona scored in the 26th minute for Villarreal
- • Alfon González added a second in the 45+5th minute
- • G. Guruzeta scored for Athletic Club in the 84th minute
- • P. Navarro and Santi Comesaña received yellow cards for Villarreal
- • G. Guruzeta received a yellow card for Athletic Club
Lineups
Athletic Club
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Starting XI
- 1 Unai Simón (G)
- 15 Íñigo Lekue (D)
- 3 Daniel Vivian (D)
- 14 Aymeric Laporte (D)
- 17 Yuri Berchiche (D)
- 18 Mikel Jauregizar (M)
- 16 Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta (M)
- 9 Iñaki Williams (M)
- 8 Oihan Sancet (M)
- 10 Nico Williams (M)
- 11 Gorka Guruzeta (F)
Substitutes
- 2 Andoni Gorosabel
- 30 Alejandro Rego
- 7 Álex Berenguer
- 23 Robert Navarro
- 22 Nico Serrano
- 25 Urko Izeta
- 6 Mikel Vesga
- 4 Aitor Paredes
- 20 Unai Gómez
- 5 Yeray Álvarez
- 27 Alex Padilla
- 19 Adama Boiro
Villarreal
Formation: 4-4-2
Starting XI
- 1 Luiz Júnior (G)
- 15 Santiago Mouriño (D)
- 6 Pau Navarro (D)
- 12 Renato Veiga (D)
- 23 Sergi Cardona (D)
- 17 Tajon Buchanan (M)
- 14 Santi Comesaña (M)
- 18 Pape Gueye (M)
- 11 Alfon González (M)
- 7 Gerard Moreno (F)
- 21 Tani Oluwaseyi (F)
Substitutes
- 4 Rafa Marín
- 19 Nicolas Pépé
- 9 Georges Mikautadze
- 20 Alberto Moleiro
- 10 Dani Parejo
- 24 Alfonso Pedraza
- 25 Arnau Tenas
- 5 Willy Kambwala
- 38 Alassane Diatta
- 3 Alexander Freeman
- 22 Ayoze Pérez
Timeline
-
19' Villarreal Card · Yellow CardP. Navarro
Roughing
-
26' Villarreal Goal · Normal GoalS. Cardona · Assist: T. Oluwaseyi
-
45'+5 Villarreal Goal · Normal GoalAlfon González
-
46' Villarreal subst · Substitution 1Off: P. Navarro · On: R. Marin
-
66' Athletic Club subst · Substitution 2Off: I. Ruiz de Galarreta · On: A. Rego
-
66' Athletic Club subst · Substitution 3Off: O. Sancet · On: A. Berenguer
-
66' Athletic Club subst · Substitution 4Off: Nico Williams · On: R. Navarro
-
68' Villarreal subst · Substitution 2Off: Alfon González · On: N. Pepe
-
69' Villarreal subst · Substitution 3Off: T. Oluwaseyi · On: G. Mikautadze
-
75' Villarreal Card · Yellow CardSanti Comesaña
-
78' Villarreal Card · Yellow CardT. Buchanan
Delay of game
-
78' Villarreal subst · Substitution 4Off: T. Buchanan · On: A. Moleiro
-
82' Villarreal subst · Substitution 5Off: P. Gueye · On: D. Parejo
-
84' Athletic Club Goal · Normal GoalG. Guruzeta · Assist: Y. Berchiche
-
89' Villarreal Var · Goal Disallowed - offsideN. Pepe
-
90'+1 Athletic Club Card · Yellow CardG. Guruzeta
Tripping
Match Stats
| Stat | Athletic Club | Villarreal |
|---|---|---|
| Fouls | 15 | 8 |
| Pass Accuracy | 86% | 76% |
| Offsides | 1 | 3 |
| Red Cards | — | — |
| Total Shots | 18 | 12 |
| Corners | 15 | 3 |
| Total Passes | 555 | 378 |
| Yellow Cards | 2 | 3 |
| Blocked Shots | 8 | 3 |
| Shots on Target | 6 | 6 |
| xG | 1.21 | 1.10 |
| Shots off Target | 4 | 3 |
| Possession | 61% | 39% |
| Goals Prevented | 1 | 1 |
| Accurate Passes | 476 | 288 |
| Shots Inside Box | 9 | 10 |
| Saves | 5 | 5 |
| Shots Outside Box | 9 | 2 |
Key Match Notes
- ▸ Villarreal took the lead with S. Cardona's goal in the 26th minute, setting the tone for the match
- ▸ Alfon González's second goal in the 45+5th minute solidified Villarreal's lead before halftime, providing a significant psychological advantage
- ▸ Athletic Club's late goal by G. Guruzeta in the 84th minute provided a brief surge of hope but couldn't change the match outcome