A late goal from Oihan Sancet secured a 1-0 victory for Athletic Club over Rayo Vallecano in a LaLiga EA Sports match played on Monday, August 25, 2025, at San Mamés stadium. The match, which kicked off at 17:30 local time, saw Sancet convert a penalty in the 66th minute.
The game featured a tactical battle between Athletic Club manager Ernesto Valverde and Rayo Vallecano’s coach. Valverde opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation, starting with Unai Simón in goal, a defense featuring Vivian, Paredes, Yuri, and Areso, and an attacking line led by Nico Williams. Rayo Vallecano responded with a 4-4-1-1 setup.
Throughout the match, Athletic Club maintained a strong presence, with Yuri Berchiche providing the assist for Sancet’s winning goal. Athletic Club’s Unai Simón and Rayo Vallecano’s Augusto Batalla both recorded 68 saves during the match. Rayo Vallecano’s Florian Lejeune led the match with 36 fouls received, while Athletic Club’s Galarreta received 42.
The second half saw a flurry of substitutions. Athletic Club replaced Nico Williams with Unai Gómez in the 88th minute and Alex Berenguer with Mikel Vesga. Rayo Vallecano made changes with Randy Nteka, Álvaro García, and Pep Chavarria entering the game in the 79th minute, replacing Andrei, Fran Pérez, and Isi respectively. Further substitutions saw Guruzeta replace Williams for Athletic Club and Camello replace De Frutos for Rayo Vallecano.
The match concluded with five minutes of added time, but Rayo Vallecano were unable to find an equalizer. A late attempt by Oihan Sancet was saved by Augusto Batalla. The result leaves Athletic Club with three points, while Rayo Vallecano remain without a point.
The next fixtures for both teams are yet to be announced. The match was overseen by Juan Martínez Munuera, with Diego Barbero Sevilla and Miguel Martínez Munuera serving as assistant referees.
