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Iker Muniain arrived just on time to turn home Markel Susaeta’s wicked delivery and Barcelona’s unbeaten record was gone. Athletic Bilbao hadn’t lost at the new San Mames before this weekend and Gerardo Martino’s side were unable to change that.
Instead it was Barca’s unbeaten league record which fell, leaving just three points separating La Liga’s top three.
At the bottom Real Betis were just minutes from a three points, until Alberto Buenorescued a draw for Rayo Vallecano. It means that only Celta Vigo, of the sides currently in the bottom half of the table, secured three points.
Here are the main talking points.
Aupa Athletic
It’s easy to say now, but it felt before the game like Athletic Bilbao were primed to spark a surprise. Barca were without Lionel Messi, Victor Valdes and more, while the Basque side are enjoying life in the new San Mames as much as they did in the old San Mames.
So when Iker Munian struck a 70th minute winner, prompting cheers in the capital, it wasn’t completely out of the blue.
Ernesto Valverde’s side pressed high – making eight tackles and seven interceptions in Barca’s half – as they stuck to their game plan and created a little bit of history in their new home.
The three points lifts Athletic into the Champions League places.
Baaaaale and Atletico
Defeat for Barcelona has the two Madrid sides hot on their heels once again. In fact, considering they’re level on points after their 2-0 win over Elche, Atletico Madrid are actually standing on the Catalan’s heels.
On the other side of Madrid, Los Blancos, sans Cristiano Ronaldo, were inspired by Gareth Bale as they cut the gap on top spot to just three points.
Real Valladolid were the victims of a 4-0 defeat at the Bernabeu.
The Madrid media hailed “The Prince of Wales” after his perfect hat-trick stole the headlines, with his pinpoint cross teeing up Karim Benzema for the other Madrid goal.
“I scored three goals but I hope to do better,” Bale told reporters after the game.
When your luck’s out…
Not much is going right for Real Betis at the moment, so you could forgive them for looking a touch nervous when Joan Verdu gave them the lead against Rayo Vallecano inside the last 10 minutes on Sunday afternoon.
They had 12 shots in the match and 49 percent possession – which is quite high against the side that took the ball from Barcelona – as Pepe Mel’s side looked to bounce back from their derby defeat to Sevilla.
It counted for little when Alberto Bueno popped up with his second goal of the game in injury time though.
“We didn’t get any luck,” Mel lamented after the match.
They’re going to need some soon; they remain bottom of the table on 10 points, behind a clutch of sides on 12 and 13.
Sevilla and Valencia moving in the shadows
Sevilla and Valencia are recognised, outside the Barca/Madrid divide, as two of Spain’s bigger clubs, so it’s been surprising to see them both outside the top half this season.
However as we move towards the half way mark, both are now positioned in the top 10.
Unai Emery’s Sevilla side picked up their second away win on the bounce – after not winning away in La Liga for over a year – with a 2-1 win at Granada. Carlos Bacca and Kevin Gameiro got the goals.
Meanwhile Valencia battered 10 man Osasuna, with Jonas once again their hero.
The Brazilian bagged an eight minute hat-trick as Los Che racked up 24 shots and 66 percent possession to move into ninth position in the table.
Griezmann stars in hit and run
Carlos Vela hit four goals last week to steal the show for Real Sociedad, but more often that not this season it’s been Antoine Griezmann leading the way.
The two combined for La Real’s equaliser against Espanyol; Vela’s cross nudged home by his French colleague’s head.
It was Griezmann’s eighth goal in his last seven La Liga appearances.
That goal looked to have the match poised for a draw, but with time running out Christian Stuani turned Ruben Pardo’s cross into his own net to gift Sociedad three points – they’ve now won five of their last seven.
Jagoba Arrasate’s side stay sat in sixth place, but closed the gap on fifth placed Villarreal, who drew with Malaga, to five points.
