Athletic Bilbao Matches Poor Defensive Record in 3-1 Home Loss to Sevilla
Athletic Bilbao faced a difficult beginning to their La Liga season, falling 3-1 at home against Sevilla. The early moments of the match set a grim tone when defender Yuri Berchiche was shown a straight red card after only 11 minutes. Playing nearly the entire match with ten players, Bilbao struggled to contain Sevilla's attacks.
Defensive Struggles Resurface
The three goals conceded at San Mamés matched an unwanted defensive record from last season. Previously, the team had only allowed three goals once at home, in a 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid. This fragile defense quickly broke down again as Sevilla’s Oso, Chidera Ejuke, and Isaac Romero all found the net.
Mistakes worsened the situation: Aitor Paredes’ error, Unai Simón’s lapse that led to the first goal, and a costly backheel from Jesús Areso which enabled Sevilla’s third strike. Coach Edin Terzic faces pressure to rebuild a defense that helped Simón win the Zamora Trophy in 2023-24 and kept the fewest goals conceded in 2024-25.
Concerns Ahead After Opening Day Defeat
This defeat echoes the troubling defensive issues that plagued Bilbao in 2025-26 when they conceded 58 goals, ranking fifth worst in La Liga. Although Paredes managed to score a consolation goal in the second half, the damage had been done early.
Terzic must urgently fix these defensive lapses if Athletic Bilbao want to regain their reputation as a stronghold at San Mamés.
Next Challenge: Barcelona Awaits
The team faces no immediate relief as they prepare for a tough match against Barcelona on Thursday. Barcelona come into the game full of confidence after a commanding 5-0 victory over Elche. Their potent attack, featuring Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and Dani Olmo, averaged 2.5 goals per game last season.
With only a few clean sheets last year and a defense already tested and weakened, Terzic’s squad faces a major challenge to stop their slide early in the season.
- La Liga: Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao – 27 Aug 2026, 21:00
- La Liga: Sevilla vs Atletico Madrid – 29 Aug 2026, 21:30
