Oihan Sancet scores late goal as Athletic Club beats Atlético Madrid 3-0

Athletic Club dismantled Atlético Madrid 3-0 at San Mamés on September 5, producing one of the most emphatic performances of the early La Liga season. Oihan Sancet’s 90th-minute strike put the finishing touch on a result that was effectively settled within three minutes of the second half kicking off.

Nico Williams opened the scoring in the 46th minute, and Robert Navarro doubled the lead in the 48th. Sancet’s late addition was less about necessity and more about sending a message.

Three minutes that broke Atlético

Williams needed just 60 seconds after the restart to find the net. Before Atlético could recalibrate, Navarro made it 2-0.

For the remaining 40-plus minutes, Athletic controlled the tempo. Ernesto Valverde’s side pressed with purpose and transitioned quickly whenever they won possession, denying Atlético the kind of slow, structured buildup that Simeone’s squad typically relies on to create chances.

Sancet’s exclamation point

Three different scorers from three different positions speaks to the depth of Athletic’s attacking threat. Williams provided the flair, Navarro the opportunism, and Sancet the punctuation.

What this means for the La Liga race

Athletic Club, based in Bilbao, adheres to a Basque-only player recruitment policy, which has forged a strong identity for the club. Under Valverde, they have built a squad competing for European qualification, and a 3-0 demolition of Atlético Madrid at home is the kind of result that turns ambition into credibility.

For Atlético, this is an early-season alarm bell. Simeone’s side entered the 2025-26 campaign with expectations of competing near the top of the table. A three-goal defeat where they failed to convert possession into meaningful opportunities suggests there are structural issues to address.

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