Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Unai Simon was named MOTM of the match after his dominant defense in the Basque derby. In the 11th round of La Liga, held on the 1st, Bilbao played against Real Sociedad and won 2-1. Although Simon conceded a goal to Luka Sučić, he kept the number of goals conceded to a minimum in the remaining games and contributed greatly to the team's points.
Before the match, Simon was congratulated on winning the ``GK version of the Ballon d'Or'' and said in an interview, ``I tried to behave as usual,'' pointing out the difficulty of being natural and not getting carried away by emotions. His calm play ensured Bilbao's victory, providing solid defense against the attacks of Iñaki Williams and Alex Berenguer.
Simon also reflected on the hardships of last season and emphasized the impact this victory would have on the standings. Bilbao currently sit in seventh place, close to Sevilla (sixth) and Real Sociedad (fifth). The three points they earned in the 2-1 victory were an important step in their bid to qualify for the European tournament.
In his post-match comments, Simon said, ``The bottom teams are steadily accumulating points,'' indicating a change in his mindset towards competing for the top. His performance will boost the morale of the entire team and strengthen their competitiveness in the upcoming La Liga campaign.
As of the end of this season, Bilbao had 15 points with one game remaining, closing the gap in the standings. Simon's defensive ability and leadership are expected to lead the team in the next game as well. It will be interesting to see how Bilbao will further push up the standings in the upcoming La Liga competition.