Athletic Club achieved a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad in San Mamés, ending a streak of four games won by the San Sebastian team and leaving the visitors with no more than three points. The match, which was played on November 1, 2026 at 9:00 p.m. CET, was characterized by a difficult start for Athletic and a second half marked by a controversial penalty that changed the course of the match.
From the beginning, Athletic showed poor performance, but managed to come back in the first half. Iñaki Williams opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a shot that slipped between Remiro's legs. La Real responded in the 31st minute when Sucic, after a pass from Soler, impaled the ball on Berenguer's front, tying the score. Athletic took the lead again just before half-time when, in a controversial episode, referee Alejandro Hernández awarded a penalty in favor of Berenguer after an alleged foul by Aramburu on Nico Williams. The penalty, which the VAR did not correct, gave Athletic a second goal and the 2‑1 that they would maintain until the end.
Referee Hernández, from the Canary Islands, also showed his authority by cautioning players from both sides, including Iñaki, Hugo Rincón and Oyarzabal, Sarr and Aramburu. His decision to score the penalty before half-time was especially controversial, reminiscent of a similar situation with Brais in the previous season. Despite the controversy, the final result remained unchanged.
As for the lineup, Athletic had Unai Simón in goal, Hugo Rincón, Vivian, Laporte and Yuri in defense, while in attack they had Berenguer, Iñaki Williams and Maroan. Real Sociedad, for its part, presented Remiro, Aramburu, Sarr, Jon Martín, Sergio Gómez, Gorrotxategi, Soler, Barrenetxea, Sucic, Guedes and Oyarzabal. Real's coach, Matarazzo, changed Aramburu and Soler compared to the last meeting with Levante, seeking to strengthen defense and play creation.
The second half was less dynamic for Real, who tried to control possession but without generating any concrete danger. Athletic, for its part, kept up the pressure and took advantage of the opportunities, although Real managed to keep the defense in good shape. The match concluded with the victory of the San Sebastian team, which closed their winning streak and left Real in a difficult position in the LaLiga table.
With this result, Athletic continues in the fight to qualify for European competitions, while Real Sociedad will have to reorganize to avoid falling into the relegation zone. Real's next game will be against Barcelona, a match that will determine whether they can regain the momentum lost at San Mamés.