Nico Williams Shines as Athletic Bilbao Defeats Atletico Madrid 3-0
Nico Williams lit up San Mames and ripped apart Atletico Madrid’s resistance in the space of a devastating minute, driving Athletic Bilbao to a commanding 3-0 win and a second straight La Liga victory.
On a night when the old cathedral roared, it was the youngest Williams who struck first.
Williams brothers ignite San Mames
Athletic had threatened without landing the punch in a tight first half, but the game cracked open soon after the restart. A driven effort from Inaki Williams was diverted into the box, and Nico reacted like a striker, timing his run and guiding a header into the net to break the deadlock.
San Mames erupted. Atletico, briefly stunned, barely had time to reset.
Seconds later, the brothers were at it again. Atletico pushed up, lost the ball, and paid for it immediately. Nico surged into space, combined with Inaki on a ruthless counter, and the move ended with Robert Navarro arriving to sweep home the second. One goal became two in a flash, and Diego Simeone’s side suddenly looked stripped of their usual steel.
From there, Athletic smelled blood. The Lions pressed high, attacked with confidence and refused to let Atletico settle into any rhythm. The visitors, who had survived an early warning when Kang-In Lee struck the post, never truly recovered from that blistering one-two.
Oihan Sancet’s late third, calmly taken, put the seal on a statement victory and turned a strong performance into a rout.
Nico’s drought ends, belief grows
For Nico Williams, the opener carried extra weight. It was his first league goal since May, when he struck twice against Alaves. The wait ended in front of a packed San Mames, in a marquee fixture, and with it came a clear message of where he believes this team is heading.
After the final whistle, the winger pointed straight to the man on the touchline. Edin Terzic, still shaping this Athletic side in his image, drew glowing praise from his player.
“The manager we have is spectacular, and you can see it on the pitch,” Nico said. “He’s instilled many new things in us that we’re grasping perfectly.”
The turning point, in Nico’s eyes, came during the interval.
“In the second half, he really got us into the game with a great talk in the locker room,” he added. “We’re very happy with the manager’s style of play.”
Terzic’s tweaks and a brave response
Terzic’s fingerprints were all over the win. Athletic not only attacked with purpose, they adapted as the game evolved. Faced with Atletico’s tactical shifts, the Basque side adjusted intelligently, moving to a back three in the second half to shut down space and blunt Simeone’s response.
The German coach, pleased but not carried away, highlighted both the plan and the personality behind it. He hailed the San Mames crowd and underlined the courage his players showed, especially after that early scare from Kang-In Lee.
“I see a team that’s always ready to fight for victory,” Terzic said. “For me, the most important thing has been how we reacted... we showed real courage.”
The reaction has changed the mood around the club. Two wins on the bounce have given Athletic not just points, but momentum and a sense of identity taking shape under Terzic.
Nico admitted the three points felt especially satisfying coming on the back of a recent away triumph, a combination that is feeding belief in the coach’s long-term vision.
Eyes already on Elche
There was no talk of celebration stretching too far into the week. Terzic made it clear the focus snaps straight to Saturday’s league meeting with Elche CF, a chance to turn a promising start into something more sustained.
Back-to-back victories, a vibrant San Mames, a front line led by a resurgent Nico Williams, and a coach whose ideas are landing fast: the platform is there.
Now comes the real question — can this Athletic side turn nights like this into their new normal?
