Athletic Bilbao Matches Poor Defensive Mark After 3-1 Loss to Sevilla in La Liga Opener
Athletic Bilbao stumbled out of the gate in their La Liga season, falling 3-1 at home to Sevilla. The match quickly went against them after just 11 minutes when defender Yuri Berchiche was shown a straight red card, leaving the team to play almost the entire game with ten men. This early setback made it hard for Edin Terzic’s squad to contain Sevilla’s relentless attack.
Defensive Woes Resurface
The loss means Bilbao has now matched an unwanted defensive record from last season. Previously, the club had only conceded three goals at home once during a 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid. But this solidity vanished as Sevilla found the net three times through Oso, Chidera Ejuke, and Isaac Romero.
Several costly mistakes played a part in the defeat: Aitor Paredes’ error leading to a goal, a rare lapse in concentration from goalkeeper Unai Simón on the opener, and Jesus Areso’s unfortunate backheel that allowed the third goal. Terzic faces pressure to fix these defensive cracks, especially since Simón won the Zamora Trophy in 2023-24 for conceding the fewest goals.
Warning Signs From Last Season Remain
The defensive issues seen on opening day echo problems from the 2025-26 campaign, when Athletic conceded 58 goals, ranking fifth worst in La Liga. Although Paredes scored a second-half goal to reduce the deficit, the damage was already done. Terzic’s priority will be to restore the defensive resilience that once made San Mamés difficult to break down.
Next Challenge: Facing Barcelona
There is no easy relief in sight as Athletic Bilbao prepare for a challenging away match against Barcelona on Thursday. The Catalan side started their season strongly with a commanding 5-0 win over Elche, powered by an attack featuring Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and Dani Olmo. With only a handful of clean sheets last season and a squad shaken by injury and suspension, Terzic’s team face a tough task to stop the slide early in the campaign.
- La Liga Fixtures:
- Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao: 27 Aug 2026, 21:00
- Athletic Bilbao vs Sevilla: 29 Aug 2026, 21:30
- Atletico Madrid vs Sevilla: Date TBD
