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| Raul Garcia of Athletic Bilbao celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the LaLiga Santander match between Athletic Club and Villarreal CF at San Mames Stadium on October 23, 2021 in Bilbao, Spain. |
Villarreal’s struggles in La Liga have continued with a 2-1 loss at Athletic Bilbao while Valencia stage an incredible late comeback to salvage a home draw with Real Mallorca.
Villarreal were coming off a 4-1 away win over Young Boys in the Champions League, but Unai Emery’s team now have lost two in a row in the Spanish top flight to sit 13th in the standings.
To make matter worse, striker Gerard Moreno was replaced in the first half because of a muscle injury.
Defender Juan Foyth also couldn’t finish the match because of a muscle problem, leaving in the second half.
Raul Garcia and Iker Muniain scored a goal in each half for Athletic, who moved to seventh place on 16 points and just four adrift of leaders Real Sociedad.
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| Capoue of Villarreal CF, Parejo of Villarreal CF, Chukwueze of Villarreal CF and Raul Garcia of Athletic Bilbao battle for the ball during the LaLiga Santander match between Athletic Club and Villarreal CF at San Mames Stadium on October 23, 2021 in Bilbao, Spain. |
Athletic’s Alex Berenguer had his 82nd-minute penalty kick saved by Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.
Francis Coquelin scored Villarreal’s lone goal in the 32nd to even the match at the San Mames Stadium.
Valencia salvaged a 2-2 draw at home against 10-man Mallorca by scoring twice in second-half stoppage time.
Mallorca took a 2-0 lead in the first half but the hosts hit back with goals by Goncalo Guedes three minutes into stoppage time and Jose Luis Gaya five minutes later.
Mallorca played a man down from the 55th after South Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in, a former Valencia player, was sent off with a second yellow card.
The result extended Valencia’s winless run to six matches to leave them in 10th place – two spots above Mallorca.
Alaves won 2-0 at Cadiz for just their second victory of the season, with Joselu scoring early in the first half and early in second-half stoppage time.
Dario Benedetto scored in the 84th to help 14th-place Elche salvage a 2-2 home draw against 11th-place Espanyol.
On Sunday, Barcelona host Real Madrid in the first “clasico” since Lionel Messi left the Catalan club to join Paris Saint-Germain while Sociedad visit defending champions Atletico Madrid.
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