Alex Baena's masterclass
The Estadio de la Cerámica witnessed one of the finest matches of the season. Villarreal, playing with extraordinary passion, hosted Athletic Bilbao in a direct showdown for next season's Champions League. Although it was the visitors who took the lead first through a brilliant run from Iñaki Williams, Villarreal kept their composure. The main architect of the comeback was Alex Baena, whose two goals proved he is currently one of the best midfielders in the entire league.
The Basques attempted to salvage a result by introducing fresh legs late on, but the home defence, marshalled by experienced centre-backs, refused to yield. The victory lifted Villarreal to third in the table — a result well beyond what analysts predicted before the season began.
Athletic Bilbao in retreat?
For the Bilbao side, it is a painful blow. Their gap to the Champions League places now stands at six points, a distance that looks extremely difficult to bridge given the form of their rivals. Ernesto Valverde must quickly find a solution to improve his side's away form, as it is performances on the road that have been Athletic's biggest weakness this season.