Atletico Madrid suffered a major setback just four days before their Champions League meeting with Liverpool, losing 3-0 away to Athletic Club at San Mamés on Saturday.
Diego Simeone’s side went into the game with momentum after a 3-1 victory over Sevilla in their previous La Liga outing, but that confidence quickly disappeared after half-time.
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The defeat leaves Atletico with plenty to address before travelling to Anfield for their Champions League opener on Wednesday.
The first half ended goalless, despite Atletico enjoying the majority of possession.
The visitors finished with 61.6 per cent of the ball and registered 15 shots, compared with Athletic’s 11.
However, possession failed to translate into the kind of attacking threat Simeone would have wanted.
Athletic needed just 46 seconds of the second half to break the deadlock.
Nico Williams put the hosts ahead shortly after the restart before Robert Navarro doubled the advantage only two minutes later.
Inaki Williams provided the assist for Navarro as Athletic suddenly found themselves in complete control of the contest.
Simeone responded by introducing Julian Alvarez in the 60th minute, hoping the Argentine forward could provide the spark Atletico needed.
It never arrived.
Athletic continued to control the match while Atletico struggled to turn their possession into clear opportunities.
The visitors managed five shots on target but were unable to beat the goalkeeper, while Athletic’s defensive organisation repeatedly frustrated Simeone’s attackers.
Oihan Sancet then put the result beyond doubt in the final minute of normal time, completing a convincing 3-0 victory for Ernesto Valverde’s side.
The timing could hardly be worse for Atlético.
Their next assignment is a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool in the opening round of the Champions League league phase on Wednesday, September 9.
Atletico’s own fixture list confirms the match is scheduled for 9pm local time in Spain, with Liverpool hosting the Spanish side at Anfield.
There is some reason for Atletico to remain optimistic.
Before the San Mamés defeat, they had beaten Málaga, drawn with Villarreal and secured an impressive 3-1 away victory against Sevilla.
However, the collapse against Athletic gives Liverpool an obvious source of encouragement.
The Reds themselves have endured an inconsistent start to the campaign, making Wednesday’s meeting difficult to predict.
Atletico will nevertheless arrive on Merseyside needing a response after conceding three goals without reply.
Liverpool and Atletico also have recent Champions League history, with the Reds winning a dramatic 3-2 meeting at Anfield in September 2025.
Now, after Atletico’s latest setback, Simeone must find a way to ensure Saturday’s humbling defeat does not carry into Wednesday’s European showdown.
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